Western Cattle-Egret

Western Cattle-Egret (Ardea ibis) is in the Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns family (Ardeidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 33,045 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Western Cattle-Egret: observations by month (U.S.)

About Western Cattle-Egret

The cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard two of its subspecies as full species, the western cattle egret and the eastern cattle egret. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea. Originally native...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Western Cattle-Egret by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)

Great Blue HeronArdea herodias

Great EgretArdea alba

Snowy EgretEgretta thula

Green HeronButorides virescens

Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax

Yellow-crowned Night HeronNyctanassa violacea

Little Blue HeronEgretta caerulea

Tricolored HeronEgretta tricolor

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ