The Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis, is a cosmopolitan species of the heron family Ardeidae found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western Cattle Egret and the Eastern Cattle Egret. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the Egretta it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonized much of the rest of the world. It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds.
The colony shown in photos 9663 was photographed on the shores of the Taracoles River.