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How to identify cattle egrets

Making It Grow Radio Minute
Provided
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SC Public Radio
Making It Grow, with host Amanda McNulty

Hello, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Driving on back roads by farm lands recently we saw what most have been a hundred cattle egrets. They’re described as compact, even stocky, are mostly white with some changes during breeding, 20 inches tall and a 36-inch wingspan. They nest communally often with other herons, they’re placed in that group in poorly constructed twiggy nests often over water. They mostly eat insects --on animal’s backs, ones scattered behind agricultural machines, or those disturbed by grazing animals, occasionally adding reptiles or small birds. Both parents regurgitate partially digested food in their chicks’ mouths. Instead of being called invasive, they’re considered naturally introduced, and apparently don’t harm native species. They may even hang around airports to capture and eat insects blown in the air by planes.

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Amanda McNulty is a Clemson University Extension Horticulture agent and the host of South Carolina ETV’s Making It Grow! gardening program. She studied horticulture at Clemson University as a non-traditional student. “I’m so fortunate that my early attempts at getting a degree got side tracked as I’m a lot better at getting dirty in the garden than practicing diplomacy!” McNulty also studied at South Carolina State University and earned a graduate degree in teaching there.