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Western Cattle Egret (Ardea ibis) Alternate name(s): "Cattle Egret*" German name(s): "Kuhreiher" Size: 48-53 cm; wing span 88-96 cm Body mass: 270-510 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: ca. 0.33

Europe: Family Group 5 Family Group 5 Table Great Egret Little Egret Western Cattle Egret Grey Heron Purple Heron Striated Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Squacco Heron Green Heron Eurasian Bittern Little Bittern Eurasian Spoonbill Glossy Ibis White Stork Black Stork Greater Flamingo Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names German birds home page

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Western Cattle Egrets are the medium-size egrets. Their plumage is all-white during the non-breeding season. For the breeding season they grow long, orange-brown scapular and frontal plumes, which extend to the head too. The straight yellow bill is short and thick, with prominent feathers under the lower mandible reminiscent of a "beard". The irises are yellow; the legs and feet are greenish-grey. Juveniles have a short grey bill.

Taxonomy, classification See Western Cattle Egret at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Cattle Egret is available HERE . Having made the "jump" from Western Africa to South America in 1933, Western Cattle Egrets are now found on several continents. Initially found in Africa outside the Sahara desert, parts of the Arabian coastline (including the northern tip at the border between the UAE and Oman), towards Iran and Kazakhstan, and along parts of the Mediterranean coastline, they have now also colonized all of the Americas, up to the coastline of Ontario, but with the exception of the highest ranges of the Andes, the Rocky Mountains and the rest of Canada/Alaska. In Europe Western Cattle Egrets are permanent residents in parts of the western Mediterranean, from parts of Iberia via the Cote d'Azure to the Po river lowlands into parts of Italy, Sardinia and Sicily. From the southern Pyrenees a second population ranges along the Bay of Biscaye, with some found in inland France as well. There is also a breeding colony in a part of south-western Germany. Western Cattle Egrets are found in the shallows of various kinds of freshwater wetlands such as freshwater lakes and on grassland, often paddocks around cattle.

Sightings Click here for sighting information J. Pires reports spotting Western Cattle Egrets, race "ibis", regularly in the area from the Tejo estuary to Mora, Evora, Portugal, and also in Peniche, Oeste, Portugal, in February 2019. J. Pires also found Western Cattle Egrets, race "ibis", at Badajoz, Spain, in June 2019. In May 2023, H. Dahlem-Senger found Western Cattle Egrets, race "ibis", nesting at Parc Natural de s'Albufera de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain. Additional photos shown below were taken by M. Eaton in Egypt. Race "coromanda" Western Cattle Egrets, race "coromandus", have been found by us in Australia.

Photos

Race "ibis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

With nuptial flush

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

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

Dorsal view of a Western Cattle Egret in breeding plumage with nuptial flush (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Malarranha, Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2023]

Without nuptial flush

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NON-BREEDING

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Near-lateral/ventral view of Western 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 Western 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 Western Cattle Egret (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Western 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

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

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

Near-lateral view of a Western 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: Sedentary/locally migratory

Elementary unit: Flock

Western Cattle Egrets are found only in south-western Europe. There part of the population is sedentary; others migrate short distances to breed in suitable habitats while spending the rest of the year hunting away from their nest sites.

As their name already suggests, apart from taking aquatic prey, Western 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 Western Cattle Egrets hunting in a bed of water lilies (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Spain, November 2021]

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

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

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

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

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

Food, Diet

Near-frontal view of a Western Cattle Egret taking big prey which looks like a toad (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2024]

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

Near-dorsal view of a Western 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

More Western 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.

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