Cattle Egret: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Ducks, Geese and Grebes · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Following a herd, a cattle egret catches prey 3.6 times more often than when it hunts alone.
2. Young cattle egrets can roam as far as 5,000 km from where they hatched.
3. In the breeding season, an adult's bill, legs and irises flash bright red for a brief moment before pairing.
4. The western cattle egret has a wingspan of 88 to 96 cm and weighs 270 to 512 g.
5. Cattle egrets occupy a global area estimated at 10 million km².

The quiz

1. How much more often does a cattle egret catch prey when following a herd?

• 1.2 times
• 3.6 times (correct)
• 2 times
• 10 times

It catches prey 3.6 times more often than when it hunts alone.

2. How far can a young cattle egret wander from its birthplace?

• Up to 5,000 km (correct)
• Up to 50 km
• Up to 500 km
• Up to 50,000 km

Young egrets can roam as far as 5,000 km from where they hatched.

3. What color do an adult's bill, legs and irises flash before pairing?

• Bright blue
• Bright yellow
• Pure white
• Bright red (correct)

They flash bright red for a brief moment before pairing.

4. What is the western cattle egret's wingspan?

• 38-46 cm
• 128-146 cm
• 88-96 cm (correct)
• 188-196 cm

Its wingspan is 88-96 cm.

5. How large is the global area occupied by cattle egrets?

• About 10,000 km²
• About 10 million km² (correct)
• About 100,000 km²
• About 100 million km²

The area is estimated at 10 million km².

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