All the following SNEGs were photographed at the same Texas
site as Bird X from the first page:
1) This adult was found in the following Spring (May):
- as you can see, while it looks predominently like a SNEG, it
does show some features associated with LIEG:
- a single long, non-filamentous head plume.
- completely black legs.
- most of the "ankle" joint is black rather than yellow.
- reduced lower-back plumes.
In the photos below, it was being chased by a normal SNEG:
- but note how similar is the threat posture of this normal adult
SNEG (left) to that of the Bird X from the previous August (comparison
below, with Bird X on the right); even though the raised feathers
look similar, note the pot belly, longer neck, more-rakish bill,
and extended gular feathering of Bird X:
2)This juvenile SNEG was in early July of 1999:
the image below shows that juv. SNEG can have elongated feathers
on the foreneck and on the lower nape:
3)These two juv. SNEG were also from early July 1999 (note in
the first image the pale base to the upper mandible):
4)These three juv. SNEGS were seen just a few days after Bird
X (back in Aug 1997), and caused some confusion:
5a) here's two juv. SNEGs with a pale base to both upper and lower
mandibles (1st two pics are same bird):
5b) here's a juv with a clear-cut extensive pale patch on the
lower mandible:
6) Here are four adult SNEGs, showing variation in the color of
the bill, lores and the lower rear legs: