Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis

Description

Bubulcus ibis is a stocky stork species with a wingspan of 88–96 cm, body length of 46–56 cm and a weight of 270–512 grams. Has a relatively short, thick neck, with a sturdy beak, and a stooped posture. The unmarried adult bird has white feathers, a yellow beak, and greyish-yellow legs. But during the breeding season, adult individuals develop orange fur on the back, chest, and crown. Body parts such as beaks, legs and irises turn bright red for a short time before mating, whereas juveniles do not have colored feathers and have black beaks. The difference between males and females can be seen through body shape, namely males are slightly larger and have slightly longer hair than females.

Population Size

Increasing

Life Span

-

WEIGHT​

270–512 grams

LENGTH

46–56 cm

Ar

Arboreal

Ca

Carnivore

Di

Diurnal

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Chordata

CLASS

:

Aves

ORDER

:

Pelecaneformes

FAMILY

:

Ardeidae

GENUS

:

Bubulcus

SPECIES

:

Bubulcus ibis

Distribution

Bubulcus ibis are usually found in agricultural areas or wetlands such as rice fields and vegetable fields, and marshes

Geography

Continent : Asia

Country : Indonesia

Habits and Lifestyle

This species lives in groups and inhabits the branches of trees, is active during the day.

Lifestyle

Arboreal and coloni

Biome

Agricultural areas and wetlands

Climate Zone

Tropical

Diet and Nutrition

Bubulcus ibis feeds on a variety of prey, especially insects, namely grasshoppers, crickets, flies (adults and grubs), moths, spiders, frogs, lizards and earthworms. This species is usually found with cows and other large animals that graze, and catch small creatures that disturb mammals.

Diet : Carnivora

Mating Habits

Bubulcus ibis nests in colonies, which are often found around wetlands. In Bali the breeding season takes place from October to November, and varies in other regions. The male individual will perform attractions to attract the female, such as shaking a branch and pointing at the sky / raising his beak vertically upwards, and a pair will form for 3-4 days. During the nesting period, the male will collect small wood and the female will arrange for nest formation. The female usually lays 3-4 eggs, which are pale or bluish white and oval in shape. Incubation lasts about 23 days, with the two parents incubating alternately. The chicks are partially covered with hair at hatching, but unable to fend for themselves, they are only able to regulate their temperature at 9-12 days and are fully hairy in 13-21 days, while starting to leave the nest and climb at about 2 weeks, maturing at 30 days. and become independent around day 45.

Reproduction session : October to November

Incubation periods: 23 days

Independent age : 45 days after age

Baby name : –

Baby carrying : 3 – 4 eggs

Population

Population status : Least Concern (LC)

NE

DD

LC

NT

VU

EN

CR

EW

EX

Population threats​

The species Caracara plancus is seen chasing Bubulcus ibis in flight, forcing them to the ground, killing them.

Population number​

The population size is very large, and therefore not close to the threshold for Vulnerability under population size criteria (<10,000 adult individuals with estimated continuous decline of> 10% in ten years or three generations, or with any given population structure). For this reason, species are evaluated as Least Concern

PHOTO GALLERY

Reference

  1. Bubulcus ibis on The Red List IUCN site 
  2. Bubulcus ibis on Wikipedia article