Bubulcus ibis
The well-known Cattle Egret is a small (280-450g) white heron (egret) with a wingspan of less than a metre.
Cattle Egrets usually forage in small groups numbering 10 – 20, but can at times be found in flocks of thousands where food is abundant. These birds inhabit open grasslands, savannas, pastures and meadows, swamps and marshes. They’re a familiar sight wherever large wild or domestic herbivores are grazing, catching insects and small vertebrates disturbed by their big neighbours’ movements. They will also peck ticks and other parasites from these bigger animals.
As with most other egrets, Cattle Egrets breed colonially in groups numbering from a dozen to several thousand pairs, often in mixed species congregations. Nests are built of sticks in trees and reedbeds, often over or surrounded by water. In South Africa breeding reaches a peak in the summer months. Clutches of one to five eggs are incubated by both parent birds for about three weeks, while chicks become independent at about 45 days old.
With a growing population estimated at as many as 10-million, and an expanding distribution on every continent except Antarctica, the IUCN considers the Cattle Egret to be of Least Concern. Their rapid range expansion in the past 100 years is directly correlated with the expansion of cattle farming across the globe. In South Africa they occur in every province, although they’re not very common in the xeric northwest of the country. They’re also much more numerous during the warm summer months, with many birds migrating to central Africa to escape the harshest of winter in our southern climes.
DeWetsWild 
Pragtige foto’s Dries!!
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Baie dankie, Aletta!
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Beautiful photos again. I have seen loads of these egrets in KNP with bufffalo and zebra but I don’t think I have ever seen them with cattle! Great post.
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Thanks Kim! I wonder whether they prefer feeding in more natural settings (with wildlife rather than with cattle on planted pastures) when given the chance?
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Possibly. Or maybe the ticks on wild animals taste better as they are not filled with bovine growth hormones which lots of cattle are given to produce more meat and milk.
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You make a brilliant point, Kim!
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Waar daar diere wei is altyd soos ons sê bosluisvoëls. Hul kan n groot wilgerboom doodsit as hul die kans kry. Elkeen het ook sy eie takkie of kant waar hy moet slaap! Mooi fotos, wys mooi hoe hul lyk,
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Baie interessant – dankie vir die bydrae, Ineke!
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Daar was n wilgerboom op n eilandjie in middel van dam waar voëls saans geslaap het. Hul was later so baie dat die mis en die voëls se vertrapping van takke die boom doodgemaak het. Steeds het hul dit gebruik.
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It’s amazing to think of them is such numbers! I’m glad they are doing that well!
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Bucking the trend as far as most wildlife is concerned!
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Love these images. Egrets are so beautiful and elegant. Love the one beside the animal, shows the size difference.
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Thanks very much, Maggie!
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Cattle Egret! I didn’t even know they existed. Thank you for an interesting post with wonderful images.
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Glad we could introduce you, Hien, and thank you for the kind words!
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