Cattle Egret and Livestock

By: Keisha-Kay Cooper

What is Commensalism?An association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor

harm.

What is Mutualism?Symbiosis that is beneficial to both organisms involved.

What is Parasitism?relationship between two species of plants or animals in which one benefits at the expense of the

other, sometimes without killing it.

Symbiotic Relationships

The cattle egret is the most terrestrial heron, being well-adapted to many diverse terrestrial and

aquatic ecosystems. Though it does not depend on aquatic habitats to survive, it does make

frequent use of them, even when they are not close to livestock-grazing areas. It is also

well-adapted to urban areas. In its breeding range, which is similar to its winter range, it often nests

in heronries established by native ardeids.

Cattle Egret Ecosystem

They are apart of the terrestrial ecosystem because they are apart of a community of organisms

and their environment that occurs on the land masses of continents and

islands.

Livestock Ecosystem

The cattle egret is a common species of heron that is found in most regions of the

world, and is mostly seen moving along with herds of cattle. This bird moves about in

the pastures, and follows livestock such as cattle and horses. The cattle egret eats up

the insects hiding under vegetation close to the grounds, which get stirred up when the

cattle walk through them. In this interaction, the cattle egret benefits

by eating up the insects, but the livestock remains completely unaffected.

Description of Interaction

Cattle Egret are known to come in from far to catch insects fleeing from a fire.

Cattle Egrets have been seen at airports waiting for airplanes to pass and blow insects out of the grass.

Cattle Egret are opportunistic feeders and follow large animals or farm machines around to catch insects. It is estimated that they gather 50% more food using only two-thirds as much energy when feeding with livestock.

The Cattle Egret sometimes adds birds to its diet. At Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas, just off thecoast of Florida, Cattle Egrets have been observed catching warblers because of a lack of insects on the island!

Fun Facts About The Cattle Egret

A specific livestock (cows)In Sweden, people play a game called cow bingo, where people bet on cows based on where they

will drop their cowpat in a square marked field.

Cows can smell up to four miles away.

Cows have four stomachs. It first it just chews the grass enough to swallow it, and then it fills up her

first two stomachs. Later when she rests, she chews the grass again and fills her other two stomachs.

Fun Facts About Livestock

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/examples-of-commensalism.html

http://www.birdorable.com/blog/ten-cool-facts-about-cattle-egrets/

http://www.robertashdown.com/blog/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livestock

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_egret

Sources

The End