Cattle Egret dismantles old anhinga nest to build its own--everything is recycled in a rookery.

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This cattle egret decked out in its mating plumage of rust colored head plums, chest plumes and aigrettes (ornamental back plumes) is harvesting twigs from a vacated anhinga nest. In a rookery or heronry with lots of birds in close quarters, everything is subject to theft or twigs.

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Size: 5184px × 3456px
Location: Wakodahatchee, Florida
Photo credit: © Judy Lovell-Janthina Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: aigrettes, anhinga, apple, bird, breeding, buff, building, cattle, colors, diligent, dismantles, egret, eye, gathering, hardworking, head, heronry, nest, orange, plumes, pond, rookery, stealthy, tree, twig, wetland, white, yellow