It is native to Africa, southern Spain and Portugal, Madagascar, and the Caribbean. It has been introduced naturally or by humans to many parts of the world, making it one of the most widely distributed species of heron.
Description:
- 45-56 cm in length with an 86–98 cm wingspan.
- Adults are mainly white, with a yellow-orange bill and legs, and red eyes.
- During the breeding season, adults develop reddish-buff plumes on the back, chest and crown, and they may have a pinkish patch on the nape.
Diet:
- Primarily insectivorous, but will also eat small vertebrates, such as lizards, frogs, and fish.
- They follow large grazing mammals, such as cattle, horses, donkeys, buffalo, and even elephants to flush insects, particularly grasshoppers and flies, from the grass that the animals disturb as they feed.
Habitat:
- Wetlands, grasslands, savannas, and open woodlands near bodies of water, or following large herbivores.
Breeding
- Breeds colonially in trees, shrubs, or even on buildings, often near marshes or wetlands, and is often associated with other wading birds.
- They build platform nests of sticks, lined with grass and leaves, and lay 3-5 white or pale bluish-white eggs.
- Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the young which fledge after 40-42 days.
Conservation:
The conservation status of the cattle egret is least concern, as it has a wide range, large population, and is tolerant of a variety of habitats.