From: Pardosa@hotmail.com
Subject: African birds - pardosa_birds_cattle_egret_017.jpg (1/1)
Date: 13 Sep 1998 13:43:51 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.pictures.animals


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The cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron from the family Ardeidae discovered within the tropics, subtropics, and warm-temperate zones. It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. According to the IOC bird list, it contains two species, the western cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) and the eastern cattle egret (Bubulcus coromandus), although some authorities regard them as a single species. Cattle egrets exploit drier and open habitats more than other heron species. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands, and rice paddies. They often accompany cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. The cattle egret is a short, stocky egret, which is very similar to the Little Egret, but is distinguished by its short yellow bill and yellowish legs. It is almost always found with grazing cattle, not necessarily near water.
Order: Pelecaniformes > Family: Ardeidae > Genus: Bubulcus > Species: Bubulcus ibis