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The Cattle Egret is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. Despite similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons, Ardea. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonised much of the rest of the world. It is a stocky white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season, and nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in a tree or shrub. Unlike most other herons, it feeds in relatively dry grassy habitats, often accompanying cattle or other large mammals, since it catches insects and small vertebrates disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the Cattle Egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal. The adult Cattle Egret has few predators, but birds or mammals may raid its nests, and chicks may be lost to starvation, calcium deficiency or disturbance from other large birds. This species removes ticks and flies from cattle, but it can be a safety hazard at airfields, and has been implicated in the spread of tick-borne animal diseases. (more...) Recently featured: Piano music of Gabriel Fauré – The Red Badge of Courage – Trevor Linden Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the 1885 watercolor painting Love's Messenger (pictured) shows several symbols of "beauty, love, and abundance of Venus and the sensuality and unpredictability of her son Cupid"? ... that the ESPN Rise boys' high school basketball All-American team was formerly known as the EA Sports All-American team? ... that after a close finish at the 1808 Derby Stakes, the owners of the second, third and fourth placed horses all challenged the winner, Pan, to match races? ... that the peachleaf willow was used in traditional Eskimo medicine to treat skin sores and watery eyes? ... that English poet and heritage campaigner Sir John Betjeman described the 15th-century Harmondsworth Great Barn as the "Cathedral of Middlesex"? ... that A Free Ride is considered to be the earliest surviving American hardcore pornographic film? ... that Canterbury Cricket Week is the oldest cricket festival week in England? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Amid protests, the Greek Parliament passes austerity measures by the country's interim coalition government, led by Lucas Papademos (pictured). Adele wins six awards, including Record of the Year and Album of the Year, at the 54th Grammy Awards. In association football, the Africa Cup of Nations concludes with Zambia defeating Côte d'Ivoire. The Artist wins seven awards, including Best Film, at the 65th British Academy Film Awards. American singer Whitney Houston dies at the age of 48. Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón is banned from the legal profession for 11 years after being convicted of illegal wiretapping. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
February 14: Valentine's Day 1779 – English explorer James Cook was killed during a fight against Native Hawaiians near Kealakekua on the Island of Hawaii. 1876 – Inventor Alexander Graham Bell and electrical engineer Elisha Gray each filed a patent for the telephone, starting a controversy about who invented it first. 1949 – The Knesset, the legislature of Israel, convened for the first time, succeeding the Assembly of Representatives that had functioned as the Jewish community's parliament during the British Mandate Era. 1991 – Upon the death of Carrie C. White, Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment became the world's oldest living person, and she would go on to have the longest confirmed human life span in history, dying in 1997 at the age of 122 years and 164 days. 2011 – As a part of the Arab Spring, the still ongoing Bahraini uprising (protests pictured), began. More anniversaries: February 13 – February 14 – February 15 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now February 14, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The Peacock flounder (Bothus mancus) is a species of lefteye flounder found widely in relatively shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific. This photomontage shows four separate views of the same fish, each several minutes apart, starting from the top left. Over the course of the photos, the fish changes its colors to match its new surroundings, and then finally (bottom right) buries itself in the sand, leaving only the eyes protruding.

Photo: Mila Zinkova

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