Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis - on the island of Floreana in the Galapagos Islands Ecuador
It is a stocky white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season, which nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Unlike most other herons, it feeds in relatively dry grassy habitats, often accompanying cattle or other large mammals, since it catches insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. The adult Cattle Egret has few predators, but birds or mammals may raid its nests, and chicks may be lost to starvation, calcium deficiency or disturbance from other large birds. This species removes ticks and flies from cattle, but it can be a safety hazard at airfields, it has also been implicated in the spread of tick-borne animal diseases.
Size: 3413px × 5120px
Location: Floreana in the Galapagos Islands Ecuador
Photo credit: © Steve Allen Travel Photography / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: bird, birdwatching, bubulcus, cattle, destination, ecuador, egret, floreana, galapagos, history, ibis, islands, natural, nature, ornithology, tourism, tourist, travel, white, wildlife
