Wading Birds: Cattle and Snowy Egret

Two other egrets are the Cattle Egret and Snowy Egret. The Cattle Egret is found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe it has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonized much of the rest of the world. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets, it is more closely related to the herons. The Cattle Egret is half the size of the Great Egret and often travels in flocks. (see second photo). During the breeding season, adults develop orange-buff plumes on the back, breast and crown, and the bill, legs and irises become bright red for a brief period prior to pairing. (third photo). Like other Egrets and Herons it nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. Unlike most other herons, it feeds in relatively dry grassy habitats, often near cattle or other large mammals, since it catches insect disturbed by these animals. It can sometimes be seen removing ticks and flies from cattle.

Cattle Egret 

photo taken in Southeastern California

Cattle Egret Flock

photo taken in Southeastern California

Breeding Cattle Egret

photo taken at Lake Cochise, Arizona

The Snowy Egret Adults are a little larger than the Cattle Egret, although still much smaller than the Great Egret. They have a slim black bill and long black legs with yellow feet. The area of the upper bill, in front of the eyes, is yellow but turns red during the breeding season, when the adults also gain recurved plumes on the back, making for a "shaggy" effect. The juvenile looks similar to the adult, but the base of the bill is paler, and a green or yellow line runs down the back of the legs. Unlike the Cattle Egret, their breeding habitat is large inland and coastal wetlands. And like the Great Egret it nests in colonies, often with other waders, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Snowy Egrets eat fish, crustaceans, insects, and small reptiles. They stalk prey in shallow water, often running or shuffling their feet, flushing prey into view, as well "dip-fishing" by flying with their feet just over the water. Snowy Egrets may also stand still and wait to ambush prey, or hunt for insects stirred up by domestic animals in open fields (like the Cattle Egret). At one time, the beautiful plumes of the Snowy Egret were in great demand by market hunters as decorations for women's hats. This reduced the population of the species to dangerously low levels. Now protected in the USA by law, the Snowy Egret has regained much of its population.

Snowy Egret

photo taken at Cochise Lake, Arizona