The Reddish Egret (Dichromanassa rufescens) is a transient along the Alabama Gulf coast. Breeding occurs from lower California, coastal Texas, and Florida, followed by migration along the Gulf coast (Imhof, 1976). Probable
nesting of the Reddish Egret in Alabama has been reported only once. This record was by W. M. Gaillard in 1965 on Cat Island (Imhof, 1976). In an ongoing study being conducted on Cat Island (a 5.2 ha island located 11 km north of Dauphin Island in Mississippi Sound), Reddish Egrets began to appear shortly after the first arrival of Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula), and tricolored Herons (Hydranassa tricolor) on 28 March 1985.