Bird Highlights

The Cattle Egret

The short, thick-necked Cattle Egret spends most of its time in fields rather than streams. It forages at the feet of grazing cattle, head bobbing with each step, or rides on their backs to pick at ticks. This stocky white heron has yellow plumes on its head and neck during breeding season. Originally from Africa, it found its way to North America in 1953 and quickly spread across the continent. Elsewhere in the world, it forages alongside camels, ostriches, rhinos, and tortoises—as well as farmers’ tractors.

 The male egret sometimes steals nesting materials from birds of other species and gives them to the female to build the nest.  When following cattle, egrets have been found to expend one-third less energy and gain 50% more food for less effort than birds feeding alone. The Cattle Egret has undergone one of the most rapid and wide reaching natural expansions of any bird species. It was originally native to parts of Southern Spain and Portugal, tropical and subtropical Africa and humid tropical and subtropical Asia.

Sources:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/cattle_egret/lifehistory

http://onemoregeneration.org/2011/09/07/trivia-question-for-sep-07-2011/

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