Scientific Name: Bubulcus ibis

Residency: Year-round in southwestern Arizona. In summer, resides throughout the state.

Diet: Insects (grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, flies, moths), frogs, reptiles, mollusks, and occasionally birds. Forages in flocks, in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Often observed in fields, catching insects that are stirred up by tractors, cattle, horses and other large farm animals.

Predators:  Eggs are taken by Great-tailed Grackle, American, and Fish Crows.   Young and adults are taken by  Cooper's Hawk, Harris' Hawk, Peregrine Falcon and Great Horned Owl.

Nesting: May nest in colonies, either with other Cattle Egrets (intra-species), or other heron species (inter-species). It builds a platform-type nest in a shrub or tree, and lays 2-6 bluish-white eggs once per year (clutch size ranges from 1 to 9 eggs).

Nesting Records:

Notes: The Cattle Egret has benefited from agricultural developments, since this bird thrives in open areas, lawns, pastures fields, and along roadsides. One of the most abundant herons, this species is widespread across the Unites States. It has bred in almost all states and populations are increasing.

Photo: Taken at the Riparian Preserve at the Gilbert Water Ranch on February 17, 2007. For more photos, click on camera icon.

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