Cattle egret
Bubulcus ibis
The cattle egrets (formerly genus Bubulcus) are a cosmopolitan clade of herons (family Ardeidae) in the genus Ardea found in the tropics, subtropics, warm temperate, and increasingly in cooler tempera
About the Cattle egret
The cattle egrets (formerly genus Bubulcus) are a cosmopolitan clade of herons (family Ardeidae) in the genus Ardea found in the tropics, subtropics, warm temperate, and increasingly in cooler temperate zones. As currently treated, the clade contains two species, the western cattle egret and the eastern cattle egret, although some authorities (particularly in the past) regarded them as a single species. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, they have recently been found to be genetically embedded within the genus Ardea, and are now included there. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa, and southernmost Europe, the two species have undergone rapid expansion in their distribution and have successfully colonised much of the rest of the world in the last
Fun Facts About Cattle egret
- They nest in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds.
- They are white birds adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season.
- Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands, and rice paddies.
- The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs.
- Some populations are migratory and others show postbreeding dispersal.
Conservation Status
The Cattle egret is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This species is currently stable and not at significant risk of population decline.
Taxonomy & Classification
| Order | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | heron |
| Genus | Bubulcus |
| Species | Bubulcus ibis |
Range & Habitat
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