A Western Cattle Egret in high breeding plumage in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/19/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Andrew Clemens MBP List

A Western Cattle Egret in Pasadena, Maryland (3/30/2013). The vanguard of this species occasionally arrives as early as the last week of March.

Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

A Western Cattle Egret in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (8/4/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Anthony VanSchoor MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 1233832 - Psn: 25)

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist MBP List

Western Cattle Egrets in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/6/2006).

Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

A Western Cattle Egret with Feral Horse on Assateague Island, Worcester Co., Maryland (7/22/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Mike Burchett MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 491721 - Psn: 46)

Western Cattle Egret in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist MBP List

A Western Cattle Egret in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/5/2012).

Photo by Jon Corcoran MBP List

Western Cattle Egrets in Cecil Co., Maryland (8/11/2013).

Photo by Mark Johnson MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist MBP List

A Western Cattle Egret feasts on flies at Kinder Farm Park, Maryland (8/31/2013).

Photo by Wendy Crowe MBP List

Western Cattle Egrets gleaning a field in Kent Co., Maryland (8/28/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Nancy Wyman MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist MBP List

A juvenile Western Cattle Egret in Howard Co., Maryland (8/31/2007).

Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

A Western Cattle Egret in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/22/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Paul Denbow MBP List

A juvenile Western Cattle Egret with Blue Dasher prey in Howard Co., Maryland (8/31/2007).

Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

A Western Cattle Egret in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/28/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Worcester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) marshallm7, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 1141127 - Psn: 88)

Western Cattle Egret in Worcester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) marshallm7, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by marshallm7 via iNaturalist MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Worcester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) rosalie-rick, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 816547 - Psn: 112)

View Record Details Photo by rosalie-rick via iNaturalist MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist MBP List

Western Cattle Egrets flying over Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 616010 - Psn: 166)

Western Cattle Egrets flying over Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Jonathan Irons MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Maryland (Date obscured). (c) eguertin, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 600140 - Psn: 176)

Western Cattle Egret in Maryland (Date obscured). (c) eguertin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by eguertin via iNaturalist MBP List

A Western Cattle Egret in high breeding plumage on Bodkin Island, Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/28/2000).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

A Western Cattle Egret in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/22/2013).

View Record Details Photo by Mark Johnson MBP List

Western Cattle Egrets in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/24/2020).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist MBP List

Map Snapshot

260 Records

GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BC HA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO

Status

This species has naturally extended its range from Africa to every continent but Antarctica. It specializes in feeding on insects kicked up by grazing mammals. It seems horses and cattle work just as well as zebras and rhinos.

Seasonality Summary

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Resources

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Citations

No citations linked for this taxon yet.

Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

A Western Cattle Egret in high breeding plumage in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/19/2015). View Record Details Media by Andrew Clemens.

A Western Cattle Egret in Pasadena, Maryland (3/30/2013). The vanguard of this species occasionally arrives as early as the last week of March. Media by Bill Hubick.

A Western Cattle Egret in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (8/4/2018). View Record Details Media by Anthony VanSchoor.

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist.

Western Cattle Egrets in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/6/2006). Media by Bill Hubick.

A Western Cattle Egret with Feral Horse on Assateague Island, Worcester Co., Maryland (7/22/2016). View Record Details Media by Mike Burchett.

Western Cattle Egret in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist.

A Western Cattle Egret in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/5/2012). Media by Jon Corcoran.

Western Cattle Egrets in Cecil Co., Maryland (8/11/2013). Media by Mark Johnson.

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist.

A Western Cattle Egret feasts on flies at Kinder Farm Park, Maryland (8/31/2013). Media by Wendy Crowe.

Western Cattle Egrets gleaning a field in Kent Co., Maryland (8/28/2017). View Record Details Media by Nancy Wyman.

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist.

A juvenile Western Cattle Egret in Howard Co., Maryland (8/31/2007). Media by Bill Hubick.

A Western Cattle Egret in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (9/22/2018). View Record Details Media by Paul Denbow.

A juvenile Western Cattle Egret with Blue Dasher prey in Howard Co., Maryland (8/31/2007). Media by Bill Hubick.

A Western Cattle Egret in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/28/2018). View Record Details Media by Jim Stasz.

Western Cattle Egret in Worcester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) marshallm7, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by marshallm7 via iNaturalist.

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist.

Western Cattle Egrets flying over Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Jonathan Irons.

Western Cattle Egret in Maryland (Date obscured). (c) eguertin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by eguertin via iNaturalist.

A Western Cattle Egret in high breeding plumage on Bodkin Island, Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/28/2000). View Record Details Media by Jim Stasz.

A Western Cattle Egret in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/22/2013). View Record Details Media by Mark Johnson.

Western Cattle Egrets in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/24/2020). View Record Details Media by Jim Stasz.

Western Cattle Egret in Talbot Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Donna Wadsley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Donna Wadsley via iNaturalist.