Cattle Egret

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Cattle Egret with Frog
The name Cattle Egret by itself probably does not conjure up the impression that it's a beautiful bird.  But in reality, they are actually quite stunning.  They have yellow bills like the Great Egret, but they are much smaller, like the Snowy Egret but with a thicker neck.  They may also have orange-buff plumages on their crown and back during mating season.  The easiest way to distinguish this bird from the Great and Snowy Egrets:  they are small, like a Snowy with a yellow bill like a Great.  Cattle Egrets are also more frequently found away from water than other egrets, since they follow cattle and feed off small animals that the cattle stir up--hence the name.

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Cattle Egret
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Cattle Egret,
(note the neck is thicker than Snowy)
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Cattle Egret
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Cattle Egret
 

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