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5

Cattle Egret

(Bubulcus ibis)
German name(s): "Kuhreiher"
Size: 48-53 cm; wing span 88-96 cm
Weight: 270-510 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Cattle Egret at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "ibis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Near-lateral portrait of a Cattle Egret in breeding plumage with nuptial flush(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Maia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2020]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in breeding plumage with nuptial flush(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Maia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2020]

Frontal view of a Cattle Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, June 2019]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Couco, Coruche, Portugal, February 2020]

Cattle Egrets, partly in breeding plumage, together with a single Little Egret (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2015]

Two pairs(?) of Cattle Egrets in emerging breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2016]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2019]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal, May 2020]

Dorsal view of a Cattle Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2022]

Near-frontal view of a Cattle Egret moulting into breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Cattle Egret moulting into breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2019]

NON-BREEDING

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret moulting into non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Frontal view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Pavia, Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2021]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal, August 2020]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage, here with its neck kinked (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Near-lateral view of a Cattle Egret taking off (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2014]

Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Near-lateral/ventral view of Cattle Egrets in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2017]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral portrait of a juvenile Cattle Egret (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Cattle Egret "rookery", with a single juvenile Little Egret thrown in for comparison (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Badajoz province, Spain, June 2019]

Race "coromandus"

Race "coromandus" is described in detail on our Australian page.

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Oct Eggs: 3 - 6 Incubation period: 25 days Fledging age: 42 days

Nest building: ? Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

Type: Basket Material: Sticks, lined with leaves Height above ground: 3 - 15 m

Cattle Egrets nesting in a colonial nesting tree together with Grey Herons (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]

Cattle Egrets nesting in a colonial nesting tree (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2013]

Near-lateral view of a Cattle Egret in breeding plumage in flight, carrying a stick for its nest (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2014]

Eggs

Size: 49 x 34 mm Colour: Light blue Shape: Long elliptical

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Migratory Elementary unit: Flock

As their name already suggests, apart from taking aquatic prey, Cattle Egrets often follow cattle (or other animals) in order to pick off animals that are disturbed in tall grass, reeds or in water.

Flock of Cattle Egrets hunting in a bed of water lilies (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Spain, November 2021]

This Cattle Egret clearly does not know what it is supposed to do... (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]

Cattle Egrets nest colonially, often together with other species, and they can form substantial flocks.

Flock of Cattle Egrets taking time to preen collectively (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]

Distant view of a flock of Cattle Egrets (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2020]

Distant view of a flock of Cattle Egrets (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2013]

Cattle Egret taking big prey which looks like a toad (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2014]

Cattle Egret taking small prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2014]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

categrt_jp_20200424.m4a ibis
(Portugal)
? © JP
 
categrt_20171124_3.m4a coromanda
(NW NSW)
Warning calls © MD
categrt_20171124_5.m4a coromanda
(NW NSW)
Squabbling © MD
categrt_20171124.m4a coromanda
(NW NSW)
Squabbling © MD
categrt_20171124_2.m4a coromanda
(NW NSW)
Various (breeding colony) © MD
categrt_20171124_6.m4a coromanda
(NW NSW)
? © MD
categrt_20171124_7.m4a coromanda
(NW NSW)
? © MD

More (Eastern) Cattle Egret sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.