Cattle Egret
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[Photo] Cattle Egret at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. Date September 30, 2006. Author en:User:Cburnett http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Cburnett

The Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis, is a small white heron. It is the only member of monotypic genus Bubulcus. It is of Old World origins, but has been a very successful coloniser, and is now found in the warmer parts of every continent except Antarctica.

This is a stocky species, 51cm long and weighing 200-600 g. It has a short thick bill and buff back, breast and crown in breeding plumage. It is otherwise white.

The breeding habitat is large wetlands in warm countries. They nest in colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. 1-5 eggs are laid.

Most are permanent residents apart from some post-breeding dispersal, which has led presumably led to this egret's range expansion.

The Cattle Egret is often found in dry grassy habitats, unlike most herons which are associated with shallow water. Cattle Egret feeds on insects, especially grasshoppers, and are usually found with cattle and other large animals which disturb small creatures which the egrets then catch. They will also ride on the backs of large ruminants.

Widespread throughout its large range, the Cattle Egret is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_Egret

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