Island Fauna - Cattle Egrets

CATTLE EGRETS

Standing as sentinels protecting the campus, the cattle egrets are an imposing sight. Quiet and stately, they feast on the insects living in the grass and are especially active on mowing days. That is because "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" or when chasing the BYUH lawnmowers.

(http://animaldiversity.org/site/accounts/information/Bubulcus_ibis.html).

A few years prior to Hawaii gaining statehood, the government released cattle egrets and barn owls as biocontrol agents to manage agricultural pests, such as rodents and flies. Now, over 50 years later, the unintended consequences of these introductions have come back to roost, with the growing populations of barn owls and cattle egrets allegedly becoming a threat to endangered native birds.

Trying to turn back the clock, the federal government is proposing rule changes to make it permanent open season on cattle egrets and barn owls in Hawaii. While the birds were brought here on work visas, they are now being “terminated.”

You may rarely see barn owls since they are nocturnal, but the sight of flocks of snow white egrets,... is now part of the wildlife experience here in Hawaii. For those who love seeing animals and nature, they are beautiful to behold.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sydney-ross-singer/save-hawaiis-egrets-and-o_b_4391521.html