Staffan Widstrand / Eastern reef egret (Egretta sacra) in flight, Lenguru river, near Lobo village, Triton Bay, mainland New Guinea, Western Papua, Indonesian New Guinea

Jan Wegener/ BIA / Pacific Reef-Egret (Egretta sacra), Queensland, Australia

Karl Seddon / Pacific Reef-Egret (Egretta sacra), Western Australia, Australia

Brent Stephenson / Adult Pacific reef egret (Egretta sacra sacra) foraging on a tidal coral reef, with wings raised, darting after prey. Puka Puka, Tuamotu Islands, French Polynesia. November.

Jan Wegener / Pacific Reef-Egret (Egretta sacra), Magnetic Island, Queensland, Australia

Patrick Donini / Pacific Reef-Egret (Egretta sacra), Khao Lak, Thailand

Roland Seitre / Eastern reef heron (Egretta sacra) portrait, reflected in water, Oro, Ile des Pins / Isle of Pines, New Caledonia.

Jonathan Harrod / Pacific Reef-Egret (Egretta sacra) wading, Kaikoura, New Zealand

Brent Stephenson / Pacific Reef Egret (Egretta sacra) walking across a beach with its neck retracted. Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand, December.

Brent Stephenson / Pacific / Eastern Reef Egret (Egretta sacra) in profile by the shore. Puka Puka, Tuamotus, French Polynesia, November.

Brent Stephenson / Pacific / Eastern Reef Egret (Egretta sacra) in profile on shore. Puka Puka, Tuamotus, French Polynesia, November.

Tim Laman / Eastern reef heron / Pacific reef egret hunts on the tidal flats outside the mangroves. Kostrae Island, Federated States of Micronesia.