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Cattle Egret
(Bubulcus ibis)
Arabic name(s): "Abu qerdan"
Size: 48-53 cm; wing span 88-96 cm
Weight: 270-510 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
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.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Cattle
Egret at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the
ebird.org
website.
The global distribution of the Cattle Egret is available
HERE
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Having made the "jump" from Western Africa to South America in 1933,
Cattle Egrets are now a global species.
Nominate (western) race "ibis", which was 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), and parts of the Mediterranean
coastline, has 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.
The eastern race "coromanda" is found all year
round in Pakistan, India and continental South-east Asia, plus some of
the South-east Asian islands. During the breeding season they extend their
range to also include southern China, South Korea and southern Japan.
Part of this population spends the northern winter in parts of Indonesia
and southern New Guinea.
There is also a large population in Australia.
In Arabia Cattle Egrets, race "ibis", are found primarily
in the border area of Kuwait, southern Iraq and south-western
Iran and along the southern Red Sea coastline of western
Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Some also spend the northern winters
on the East coast of Arabia, e.g. in southern Oman, but they
are also found along the North coast of Oman. If occasionally
found inland, they may accompany camels (rather than only
cattle).
Cattle Egrets are found in the shallows of various kinds of freshwater
wetlands such as freshwater lakes and on grassland, often paddocks
around cattle.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "ibis"
We have not seen any Cattle Egrets, race "ibis" in
Oman yet. The photos shown below were obtained in Egypt.
All photographic information presented on this page has
kindly been contributed by M. Eaton.
Race "coromandus"
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Photos |
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Race "ibis"
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ADULT |
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NON-BREEDING |
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Near-frontal view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]
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 M. Eaton)
[November 2017]
Lateral view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]
Dorsal view of a Cattle Egret in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]
Race "coromandus"
Race "coromandus"
is described in detail on our
Australian page.
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Call(s)/Song |
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For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own; are welcome.
More (Eastern) Cattle Egret sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
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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.