# Western Cattle-Egret (*Ardea ibis*) The Western Cattle-Egret is a friendly bird that loves to hang out near cows and other animals. They help keep the fields clean by eating bugs and insects, making them great helpers on farms! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 33 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Cattle Egret ![Western Cattle-Egret](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/H%C3%A9ron_garde_boeufs_%C3%A0_Oued_Mejerda.jpg&width=800) Photo: El Golli Mohamed, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:H%C3%A9ron_garde_boeufs_%C3%A0_Oued_Mejerda.jpg) ## Appearance The Western Cattle-Egret is a small, stocky egret, typically pure white with a short, stout yellow bill and yellow legs. During breeding season, it develops distinctive orange-buff plumes on its head, back, and chest, making it visually unique among white egrets. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Pelecaniformes - **Family:** Ardeidae - **Genus:** Bubulcus ## Interesting facts - Cattle Egrets often sleep and nest in huge groups, sometimes with thousands of birds! - Its name comes from its clever habit of always hanging out near cattle! - They sometimes eat surprising foods like lizards, frogs, and even small mice! - This bird spread across the world in just 100 years, often flying across oceans! ## Special abilities - **Insect Magnet:** Western Cattle-Egret can follow large grazing animals, attracting insects that are disturbed by their movement, making hunting easier. - **Color Changer:** Western Cattle-Egret has brilliant orange-buff feathers during breeding season, which signals readiness to find a mate. - **Tool Follower:** Western Cattle-Egret can forage near farm machinery, catching small creatures revealed by plows and tractors. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 46-56 cm - **Wingspan:** 90-95 cm - **Weight:** 0.27-0.55 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-15 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 21-26 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding This bird mainly eats bugs and small creatures stirred up by big grazing animals. - **Primary Foods:** grasshoppers, crickets, flies, beetles, frogs, lizards - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** Domestic Cattle (*Bos taurus*) — Hunts insects stirred up by grazing. - **Eats:** [Migratory Locust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/migratory-locust) (*Locusta migratoria*) — A primary food source, caught from open ground. - **Eaten by:** African Rock Python (*Python sebae*) — Eggs and chicks are prey in some regions. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Adults and juveniles can be prey for large raptors. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Western Cattle-Egret? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Western Cattle-Egret? 46-56 cm ### What is Western Cattle-Egret's wingspan? 90-95 cm ### How much does Western Cattle-Egret weigh? 0.27-0.55 kg ### How long does Western Cattle-Egret live? 5-15 years ### How fast can Western Cattle-Egret move? 35 km/h ### What does Western Cattle-Egret eat? This bird mainly eats bugs and small creatures stirred up by big grazing animals. ### Where is Western Cattle-Egret usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Allerton Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/allerton-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Gary City Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gary-city-center-historic-district) — Indiana, US · Historic District - [Lahaina Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lahaina-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Mesilla Plaza](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mesilla-plaza) — New Mexico, US · Park - [Secessionville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/secessionville-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Southeast Gainesville Residential District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/southeast-gainesville-residential-district) — Florida, US · Historic District [View all places to see Western Cattle-Egret](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/western-cattle-egret) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Western Cattle-Egret: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-cattle-egret)