Median Egrets are hard to distinguish from Large Egrets outside of the breeding season, the two sharing largish size, black legs and yellow beaks . The Median is about 15% smaller, but it is difficult to make such size judgements unless both types are seen together. In the breeding season, one can distinguish them on the basis of their "aigrettes" -- the snowy white plumed feathers they grow then. The Median grows them on back and breast, the Large only on the back. The identification of the individual here was eased by the presence of a Large Egret and a Grey Heron slightly upstream.

Around MRI, Median and Large Egrets are solitary birds. I have seen them with other egrets (Little, Cattle) or sandpipers, but never so far with others of their own kind.