Dave Taylor's African Safari: Trophic Level III: Omnivores and Small Carnivores - Cattle Egret

Trophic Level III: Omnivores and Small Carnivores
Cattle Egret
Page 9

Bubulus ibis

Length: 54 cm (22 inches)

Status: Common. This species easily adapted to agriculture and is often found in association with domestic cattle.

Habitat: Cattle egrets are commonly found in open grassy fields, freshwater swamps and wooded grasslands where they feed on insects stirred up by grazing herds. They are one of the most successful members of the heron family. They are found across Africa, except in deserts. In the late 1800s, cattle egrets successfully crossed from Africa to South America, where they established breed colonies. Today, they have further expanded their range up as far as southern Canada.

Hatchlings are independent when they are 45 days old.

Food: Cattle egrets eat insects, small fish, crustaceans, amphibians and small reptiles. They will often perch on the back of an elephant, buffalo or other large ungulates. When the grazing animal spooks an insect, the egret darts off to catch it.

Like white storks, cattle egrets will also attend grass fires, in order to catch fleeing invertebrates.

Social System/ Behavior: Cattle egrets are very sociable and are usually found in small flocks. When they nest, there may be as many as 10,000 of the birds nesting together in tree colonies.

At night, during the non-breeding season, thousands will roost together and then fly out in the morning to seek food.

Cattle egrets build a loose stick platform in trees that becomes their nest. Nests are built anywhere from 1 meter to 9 meters (3 to 30 feet) above the ground. Both the male and female will sit on the three or four eggs laid by the female. The eggs hatch in a little over three weeks and the young fledge in 30 days. Both parents feed them by bringing back food in their crops and then regurgitating it to the demanding babies.

Predators: Snakes and other predators will rob nests of eggs and young. Large birds of prey will also take the occasional bird.

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