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Cattle Egret![]() Size: 48-53 cm; wing span 88-96 cm Weight: 270-510 g |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Race "ibis"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
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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]
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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]
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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.
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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 |
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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]
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Eggs |
Size: 49 x 34 mm | Colour: Light blue | Shape: Long elliptical |
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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]
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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
.