Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), in breeding plumage. A common member of the heron family, Cattle Egrets were originally native to parts of Africa, Asia, and Southern Europe, but they have rapidly colonized and today they are found worldwide. Cattle Egrets prefer to live near to freshwater, and are classified as a wading bird, but they mainly eat insects, and will often spend time in grasslands away from water or following large mammals. They are gregarious, nesting in colonies in trees or bushes near lakes and ponds, sometimes with other heron species.

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