Bubulcus ibis
Length: 15-25 in Wingspan: 35-40 in Weight: 0.5-1 lbs
Identification:
Small white heron with stout orange bill. During breeding season, orange/yellow legs and orangish feather tips on head, chest, and back. During nonbreeding season, black legs and all white plumage.
Distribution:
Native to Africa, but now spread to many parts of the world. Majority of distribution in North America is in Mexico and the southern US, but may be found as far as Canada.
Cool Facts:
Cattle Egrets originate in Africa but have spread to much of the world, reaching the US in the 1940s. These birds are more at home in pastures where they feed alongside large ungulates, eating insects around or even on their large grazing companions.
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References:
Bird on the Move 