Cattle egret

Introduction: Cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis) chiefly inhabit open grassland and grassy savannah, agricultural land and pastures, typical locations for domestic livestock, pachyderms and antelope. They avoid deserts, forests and dense woodland and roost in reedbeds or trees in or near inland water bodies.

Distribution: Found throughout Namibia except for the southern Namib Desert. Observed in Etosha National Park, Caprivi, Rundu, Skeleton Coast, Orange River and Fish River Canyon.

Diet: Frequently forages in association with cattle. Hunts by walking stealthily for locusts, grasshoppers, beetles, ticks, river frogs, toad, worms, spiders, fish, tadpoles, reptiles, small mammals, birds and molluscs.

Description: Small, short-necked heron with a short and stout bill. Mainly white plumage. Bubulcus is Latin for 'a cow-herd'

Breeding: A nest consisting of dry sticks, reeds and weed stems, laid from June to July provides a site for the female to lay between 1 and 7 eggs, incubated for around 25 days. Nest predators include the African rock python, sacred ibis, grey-headed gull and the African fish-eagle.

Size: 54cm.

Weight: 390g.