Cattle Egrets got their name because they often accompany cattle or other large mammals to catch insects and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. They also remove ticks and flies from cattle. It was originally native to parts of Southern Spain and Portugal, tropical and subtropical Africa and humid tropical and subtropical Asia. But the Cattle Egret has undergone one of the most rapid and wide-reaching natural expansions of any bird species and can now be seen all over the world and is found on every continent except Antarctica.
It is widespread on the granitic islands in Seychelles and is known locally as Madanm Paton. No one knows who the original ‘Madanm Paton’ was! Egrets are a familiar sight around the Victoria fish market, where they feed on scraps of fish. They eat a wide variety of foods and do well in man-made habitats. They feed on flies at rubbish dumps and insects in the open fields. The Department of Environment sometimes controls these birds at dump sites, as they carry disease and parasites.
At breeding time, the normally pure white plumage of egrets becomes yellow-orange on the breast and head, and the bill (normally yellow) turns pink. They nest in large groups, in mangroves and other trees.
Facts:
Scientific Name: Bubulcus ibis
Creole name: Madanm Paton
Wingspan: 88-96cm.
Population in Seychelles: Unknown.
World Distribution: Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, North and South America.
Distribution in Seychelles: Breeds Mahé and probably other islands; seen on many islands throughout the Seychelles.
Habitat: Grassland and around human habitation, also freshwater wetlands and mangroves.
Nests: Communally, in trees.
Eggs: 1-3, pale blue.
Diet: Insects, fish, skinks, crabs, eggs, chicks and even adults of other birds.
Identification: A small all-white heron, sometimes with buff-orange patches on the breast and head. Often seen away from water.
See more
Species Fact Sheet at BirdLife Data Zone
(Photo credit: Dao Nguyen)