The Cattle Egrets: A permanent Friend to Beast and Man.

     In the 20th century, there was an invasion, although it was one of the most peaceful colonization of the time. Not a simple shot was fired, no blood was shed, in a similar vein nobody amongst the inhabitant and even in the neighborhood no one was exploited and no country was robbed of his wealth, but this invaders silently occupied one country and the other at a given time and place.

     But this invasion and conquest went unnoticed because the colonizers were birds, those resourceful birds, which now occupy five continents, are known as "Cattle Egrets" or scientifically called "Bubulcus ibis".


     Over the years, cattle egrets were known to be confined in tropical Africa, but about a century ago its successfully colonized south Africa. According to some sources, by 1930 cattle egrets in large number crossed the Atlantic Ocean and established its dwelling place in South America, same as was done to South Africa.

     Having not satisfied with this, they further move and colonized Florida in the 20th century, whereas after a decade they moved further North to Canada and South to Argentina. This colonization stands them out in history as the first old birds to establish residence on the mainland of the Americans without human aid. No sooner have they done that than creating impacts and presence in the new world.

     Factually, egrets with the stronghold of their wings and support of the prevailing trade winds, according to ornithologists can cross the ocean separating west Africa from south America in a matter of 40 hours. The Atlantic ocean was not the only barrier they traversed. Cattle Egrets flew east on till they sojourn in New Zealand of which they became common birds through out Eurasia.

     Currently their base and or territory is generally known to be the "Iberian Peninsula" in the west, to Japan in the east. Cattle egrets are residence birds in countries where the weather condition is permissible and conducive to their existence. A key factor in the cattle egret's expansion has been its adaptability and its relationship with man particularly with cattle farmers. Though some egret feed on aquatic animals, but a vast majority of them which is usually associated with Cattle, Elephants, Kangaroos. Tractors, or even forest fires, as soon as the insects is disturb to come out from their habitat..

     Cattle Egrets are Avian hunters and as such can search for their food without outside help, although cattle are the ideal beaters since they lumber in the pastures and stir up grasshoppers, flies,and beetles, thereby creating preys to attentive egret in same direction. This in effect is another form of cooperation amongst animal kingdom.

     Egret are beneficial to both beast and man in diverse ways though relative to farmers. Cattle egret as they flocks and fluttered in formation over the plains, beautify the surroundings and also perform an invaluable service of acting as pests controllers..Some insects are dangerous to man and crops, but with the presence of the egret their activities and number will be reduced to a large extend.

     For beasts,the egret eat flies and other insects that constantly annoy the cattle, hence cattle are aware that the egrets are their friends which is why they willingly put up with the cheeky that occasionally hitch a ride on the cattle's back. Read more here.