Breeding adult. Photo: Ken Lassman/Audubon Photography Awards
Bubulcus ibis
| Conservation status | North American population may still be increasing, although not as rapidly as in earlier years. In northern heronries, may compete with native species for nest sites; thought to have crowded out native herons or egrets in some instances. In general, however, little negative impact on any native species. |
|---|---|
| Family | Herons, Egrets, Bitterns |
| Habitat | Farms, marshes, highway edges; often associates with cattle. Widespread in any kind of open country, including pastures, plowed fields, lawns, roadsides. Also in aquatic habitats, including flooded fields, marshes. Nests in trees or shrubs, in colonies with other herons and egrets. |
Usually forages in flocks in dry fields, very often in association with grazing animals -- usually cattle or horses in North America, but on other continents also elephants, camels, zebras, deer, many others. Insects are flushed from grass by animals, caught by egrets. At times, Cattle Egrets will follow tractors or even lawnmowers for the same result.
3-4, sometimes 1-9. Pale blue. Incubation is by both sexes, 21-26 days. Young: Both parents feed young, by regurgitation. Young begin to climb about near nest after 15-20 days, begin to fly at 25-30 days, and become independent at about 45 days.
Both parents feed young, by regurgitation. Young begin to climb about near nest after 15-20 days, begin to fly at 25-30 days, and become independent at about 45 days.
Mostly insects. When associating with grazing animals in fields, diet is mostly large insects, especially grasshoppers, crickets, flies; also frogs, spiders, moths. Elsewhere may feed on crayfish, earthworms, snakes, nestling birds, eggs, sometimes fish. May scavenge for edible refuse in dumps.
Usually first breeds at age of 2-3 years. Breeds in colonies, usually joining colonies already established by other herons and egrets despite very different feeding habitat. Male establishes pairing territory (in or near colony) and displays there to attract mate. Displays include stretching neck and raising plumes while swaying from side to side, making short flights with exaggerated deep wingbeats. Nest: Site is in colony, in trees or shrubs, often in swamps or on island. Nest (built mostly by female, with materials mostly brought by male) is platform or shallow bowl of sticks, often with green leafy twigs added.
Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect this bird’s range in the future.
Zoom in to see how this species’s current range will shift, expand, and contract under increased global temperatures.
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.
Red-billed Oxpeckers and their critically endangered hosts aren’t the only avian-mammal pairings with a mutually beneficial bond.
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