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Atlas Results

While Western Cattle-Egrets have previously nested in Saskatchewan, few individuals were encountered during the atlas and none gave indication of breeding beyond being in suitable habitat. Sightings were restricted to two squares on the Quill Lakes in late-May and late-July of 2017 and 2018.

Note: During all years of the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas drought conditions persisted and the Atlas range maps for all waterfowl, waterbirds, and wetland-associated species should be viewed as characteristic of distribution and abundance during dry conditions. Read the full drought statement here.

Excerpts Adapted from the Birds of Saskatchewan:

Gregarious by nature, Western Cattle-Egrets often travel, feed, roost, and nest in groups. They habitually associate with cattle, which stir up insects and other food as they walk. Once an allegiance to a particular herd is established, these egrets return again and again, seeming to ignore closer herds (PST). Originally native to parts of Iberia, tropical and subtropical Africa, and humid tropical and subtropical Asia, the Western Cattle-Egret has now expanded its range to include all continents except Antarctica.

The Western Cattle-Egret nests in heavy stands of bulrush, giant [common] reed-grass, and cattail, but also in deciduous shrubs or trees. When foraging, it is found in wetlands, meadows, seasonally flooded fields, roadsides, and upland cattle pastures. As its name suggests, it is often seen feeding near, even perched on, cattle.

Irregular summer visitor and irregular breeder in the south, but individuals have wandered north to Big River, La Ronge, and Hudson Bay (Smith 1996). The first sight record was of 2 birds 14-17 Jun 1974 near Eyebrow (Houston and Shadick 1974), and the first photograph was taken 28 Jul 1977 near Maxim (Hjertaas 1979). The first nest was found in 1981 at Old Wives Lake (Roney 1982b). There has been a steady increase in Saskatchewan records: 1970s (8), 1980s (18), 1990s (26), 2000-2009 (33), 2010-2015 (25+), including every year since 1996, and most often in late spring.

Original text by Philip S. Taylor. Text adapted by Daniel J. Sawatzky

Read more about the Western Cattle-Egret in the Birds of Saskatchewan here.

LeeAnn M. Latremouille

Recommended citation: Latremouille, L. M. 2025. Western Cattle-Egret in Latremouille, L. M., S. L. Van Wilgenburg, C. B. Jardine, D. Lepage, A. R. Couturier, D. Evans, D. Iles, and K. L. Drake (eds.). 2025. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Saskatchewan, 2017-2021. Birds Canada. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan https://sk.birdatlas.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=WCEG&lang=en [14 Nov 2025]