Black Crowned Night Heron

There is an ongoing debate about identifying photos of birds taken in controlled circumstances such as zoos.  I always do but I can see the argument against it as well.  Photography is about the image and not the methods.  I don't look at images as some kind of trophy that proves I got within some magical distance.  Given the super-telephoto lenses, the crop factor of DX cameras and the plethora of software allowing significant cropping of the image and subsequent enlargement I don't know what you prove by close head shots.  I still prefer images that include some habitat but in this case the habitat was very artificial and detracted from the image.  This photo was taken at the Jacksonville Zoo and although the bird is not captive it is very accustomed to people and easy to get close to.  I have some images of wild birds where I was this close or closer but it took some time and in the end they came to me as much as I went to them.  I hesitate to disturb birds by always trying to get close, inevitably you don't know when you've crossed the line until the bird flies away.