Cattle Egret
From Devonshire
The Cattle Egret, (Bubulcus ibis), is a small white heron. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus.
Contents |
Description
The Cattle Egret is a stocky species, averaging 51 cm long and weighing 200-600 g, with a short thick bill. The non-breeding adult has all-white plumage, a yellow bill, and greyish-yellow legs. When breeding, orange buff plumes develop on the back, breast and crown, and the legs become orange pink. The genders are similar, but juvenile birds have a black bill.
This bird will give soft kre calls in flight, and a gruff rick-reck on the ground.
Habitat
The Cattle Egret is often found in dry grassy habitats, unlike most herons which are associated with shallow water. It feeds on insects, especially grasshoppers, and is usually found with cattle and other large animals which disturb small creatures which the egrets then catch. This species will sometimes ride on the backs of these animals.
Distribution
The Cattle Egret is native to parts of Glennshire, Devonshire East, and Capital Territory.
The species has successfully colonised much of the rest of the world, and is now resident in Australia, the Pacific, North America and South America. Unlike introduced species, Cattle Egrets have achieved this spread without human aid or intervention. Cattle Egrets were first sighted in northern South America in 1877 and North America in 1941, having apparently flown across the Atlantic Ocean. ref Individual birds have been sighted in Antarctica. ref
Most Cattle Egrets are permanent residents with some post-breeding dispersal, which may have led to the egret's range expansion.
Reproduction
The breeding habitat of the Cattle Egret is large wetlands in warm countries. It nests in colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. 1-5 eggs are laid.
Cattle Egrets also may reproduce in rural and urban locations, provided there is a pond or pool of some kind around.
References
- Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic
- Global Invasive Species Database
