Three white egrets
16-10-06 © Roberto Ares
The cattle egret with its cinammon crown among snowy and great egrets and a black-backed stilt top left
The three egrets together give a picture of the size differences.
At first sight the cattle egret (35cm) and the snowy egret (40cm) are almost the same size. The great egret (65 cm) is noticeably taller.
Since the cattle egret walks with the cattle and other animals catching insects stirred up by them, the reserve is not the place for it to stay. It mainly flies across and on some occasions it lands, that is why records are scarce. In winter or alternate plumage identification may turn more complicated. Let's compare it with the snowy egret first.
At first sight the cattle egret (35cm) and the snowy egret (40cm) are almost the same size. The great egret (65 cm) is noticeably taller.
Since the cattle egret walks with the cattle and other animals catching insects stirred up by them, the reserve is not the place for it to stay. It mainly flies across and on some occasions it lands, that is why records are scarce. In winter or alternate plumage identification may turn more complicated. Let's compare it with the snowy egret first.
Cattle egret and snowy egret
In breeding or alternate plumage
21-10-17 © Ricardo Palonsky
Bill yellow
Legs orange or reddish
23-11-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Bill black
Legs black with yellow feet
17-10-17 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Differences between these two egrets: colour and size of the bill, colour of legs and cinnamon spots on the cattle egret during nuptial plumage
In non-breeding or basic plumage
This is the time when they are much alike. The bill is the element since yellow feet may be covered with vegetation or water
28-06-18 © Ricardo Palonsky
With fulvous whistling-ducks
Bill yellow
Legs dark greenish
05-05-18 © Guillermo Iván Spajic
Bill black
Black legs with yellow feet
Cattle egret and great egret
The Great Egret does not change the colour of its plumage either. So, cattle egret's cinnamon spots are diagnostic. Let's concentrate on confusing times. Here colour of the body (white), legs (black) and bill (yellow) coincide. Size is decisive. If we are not good at measures and they are alone, have in mind that the length of the great egret's neck is much longer in relation to its body. Another clue might be to compare the bird with another one near, if there is any.
28-06-18 © Ricardo Palonsky
With fulvous whistling-ducks
Bill yellow
Legs dark greenish
22-12-19 © Carlos González Ledo
Bill yellow
Blackish legs
Great egret and snowy egret
01-06-13 © J. Simón Tagtachian
With snowy egret on the left
The great egret and the snowy egret share the same environment. So, it is common to see them together. They even nest together. At breeding time both have egrets. The colour of the bill and the difference in size are the characteristics to pinpoint.
13-08-16 © Ariel Méndez Zébè
Blackish legs
20-09-20 © Luciano Massa
Black legs with yellow feet