Critters of the Week

Where Spotted: Monkey Island (on the border of Virginia and North Carolina)
Common Name: Cattle Egret
Scientific Name: Bubulcus ibis
Length: 18.1-22.1 in (46-56 cm)
Weight: 9.5-18.1 oz (270-512 g)
Wingspan: 34.6-37.8 in (88-96 cm)

Quick Facts Courtesy of Cornell Labs

• Cattle Egrets are native to Africa but somehow reached northeastern South America in 1877. They continued to spread, arriving in the United States in 1941 and nesting there by 1953. In the next 50 years they became one of the most abundant of the North American herons, showing up as far north as Alaska and Newfoundland.
• Cattle Egrets follow large animals or machines and eat invertebrates stirred up from the ground. They will fly toward smoke from long distances away, to catch insects fleeing a fire.
• The Cattle Egret has a broad and flexible diet that occasionally includes other birds. In the Dry Tortugas off the coast of Florida, migrating Cattle Egrets have been seen hunting migrating warblers.
• Cattle Egrets have many names around the world, usually referencing the grazing animals they team up with to forage. In various languages they are known as cow cranes, cow herons, cow birds, elephant birds, rhinoceros egrets, and hippopotamus egrets.
• The oldest Cattle Egret on record was at least 17 years old when it was captured and released in Pennsylvania in 1979. It had been banded in Maryland in 1962.

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Fluffy at Richmond SPCA

ALL FLUFF, ALL ENERGY, ALL GLORY. My name is Fluffy and as you can see I am a very handsome cloud of hair. Despite my A-List star appearance, I’m actually a pretty nervous guy who will need a home that will be patient and understanding with me as I learn the ropes of being in a home. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE attention and partying with my friends… I just need some time to get there. If you are interested in learning more about me, visit our adoption center or give us a call at (804)521-1307.

Age: 3 years, 3 months
Gender: Neutered Male
Color: Black / Brown
Size: L (dog size guide)
ID: 46843010

Adopt Fluffy at Richmond SPCA

Learn more about their adoption process.