In April 2025, we saw a large group of eastern cattle egrets and black-crowned night herons at the Daan Forest Park in Taipei City, Taiwan. I often see night herons, but this is the first time I noticed Eastern Cattle Egrets. The eastern cattle egret is a species of heron (family Ardeidae) and was formerly treated as a subspecies of the western cattle egret with the name "cattle egret" for the combined species. But they are now treated as separate species. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea. They are found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is native to southern and eastern Asia, and Australasia. Although the cattle egret sometimes feeds in shallow water, unlike most herons it is typically found in fields and dry grassy habitats, reflecting its greater dietary reliance on terrestrial insects rather than aquatic prey. The species is usually found with cattle and other large grazing and browsing animals, and catches small creatures disturbed by the mammals. It nests in colonies. Some populations of cattle egrets are migratory, others are dispersive.
2025 年4月，我們在臺灣台北市的大安森林公園中的大生態池看到一大群的黃頭鷺及夜鷺。我常看到夜鷺，但是這是我第一次注意到黃頭鷺。黃頭鷺或稱東方黃頭鷺、東方牛背鷺，是鵜形目鷺科的一種鳥類。曾被視為西部牛背鷺的一個亞種，並被稱為牛背鷺。但現在它們被視為獨立的物種。雖然它們的羽毛與白鷺屬（Egretta）的白鷺相似，但它與蒼鷺屬（Ardea）的鷺類有更密切的關係。它們分佈在熱帶、亞熱帶和暖溫帶地區。它原產於南亞、東亞和澳洲。雖然黃頭鷺有時會在淺水中覓食，但與大多數鷺類不同，它們通常棲息於田野和乾燥的草地，這反映出它們更依賴陸生昆蟲而非水生獵物的飲食。它們通常與牛和其他大型草食動物一起出現，捕捉被哺乳動物驚動的小生物。它們通常群居築巢。一些黃頭鷺的族群是遷徙性的候鳥，另一些則是留鳥分散的。
* 如果以下的油管影片模糊或畫質不佳，可在設置上更改畫質，改成 720p。
Notes 筆記
- The eastern cattle egret is a species of heron (family Ardeidae) and was formerly treated as a subspecies of the western cattle egret with the name "cattle egret" for the combined species. But they are now treated as separate species. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea. They are found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is native to southern and eastern Asia, and Australasia.
- The cattle egret is a stocky heron with an 88–96 cm (35–38 in) wingspan; it is 46–56 cm (18–22 in) long and weighs 270–512 g (9.5–18.1 oz). It has a relatively short thick neck, a sturdy bill, and a hunched posture. The non-breeding adult has mainly white plumage, a yellow bill and greyish-yellow legs. In the breeding season the adults have orange-buff plumes on the throat, head and lower back. The eastern cattle egret differs from the western species in breeding plumage, when the buff colour on its head extends to the cheeks and throat, and the plumes are more golden in colour. The bill and tarsus are longer on average.
- Although the cattle egret sometimes feeds in shallow water, unlike most herons it is typically found in fields and dry grassy habitats, reflecting its greater dietary reliance on terrestrial insects rather than aquatic prey. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs.
- Some populations of cattle egrets are migratory, others are dispersive.
- The cattle egret feeds on a wide range of prey, particularly insects, especially grasshoppers, crickets, flies (adults and maggots), and moths, as well as spiders, frogs, and earthworms. The species is usually found with cattle and other large grazing and browsing animals, and catches small creatures disturbed by the mammals.
- 黃頭鷺或稱東方黃頭鷺、東方牛背鷺，是鵜形目鷺科的一種鳥類。曾被視為西部牛背鷺的一個亞種，並被稱為牛背鷺。但現在它們被視為獨立的物種。雖然它們的羽毛與白鷺屬（Egretta）的白鷺相似，但它與蒼鷺屬（Ardea）的鷺類有更密切的關係。它們分佈在熱帶、亞熱帶和暖溫帶地區。它原產於南亞、東亞和澳洲。
- 黃頭鷺是一種矮壯的鷺，翼展 88-96 公分（35-38 吋），體長 46-56 公分（18-22 吋），體重 270-512 公克（9.5-18.1 盎司）。它們的頸部相對較短，喙堅固，姿態蜷縮。非繁殖期的成鳥羽毛主要為白色，喙為黃色，腿為灰黃色。繁殖期成鳥的喉嚨、頭部和下背部會長著橙黃色的羽毛。黃頭鷺的繁殖期羽毛與西方物種不同，它頭部的黃褐色延伸至面頰和喉部，羽冠顏色更金黃。喙和跗骨平均較長。
- 雖然黃頭鷺有時會在淺水中覓食，但與大多數鷺類不同，它們通常棲息於田野和乾燥的草地，這反映出它們更依賴陸生昆蟲而非水生獵物的飲食。它們通常群居築巢，築巢地點靠近水體，並經常與其他涉禽共棲。巢穴是用樹枝或灌木叢中的樹枝搭建的平台。
- 一些黃頭鷺的族群是遷徙性的候鳥，另一些則是留鳥分散的。
- 黃頭鷺捕食各種獵物，特別是昆蟲，尤其是蚱蜢、蟋蟀、蒼蠅（成蟲和蛆）和蛾，以及蜘蛛、青蛙和蚯蚓。它們通常與牛和其他大型草食動物一起出現，捕捉被哺乳動物驚動的小生物。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Eastern cattle egret
- HeronConservation: Cattle Egret
- 維基百科: 黃頭鷺
Birds Posts 鳥的帖子