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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 |
Frontal view of a Cattle Egret in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, June 2019]
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]
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 M. Eaton)
[November 2017]
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)
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 M. Eaton)
[November 2017]
Distant view of a flock of Cattle Egrets
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2013]
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, Cattle Egrets follow cattle in order to pick off animals that are disturbed in tall grass.
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 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
.