Egrets in Satwa

A busy Dubai thoroughfare should be the last place you would expect to see a large bird like the Cattle Egret (bubulcus ibis).

But this large bird, a little over half a metre in length (a bird is measured from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail), was seen a number of times during February along this road.

Often it was joined by a few more birds, especially around midday when there is a lull in the traffic flow.

A couple of decades ago this egret used to be a rare sighting. However, the greenery that has been created all over the UAE, especially in Dubai, is attracting lots of insects and worms.

These and plants with juicy fruits, fleshy leaves, soft shoots and showy flowers with plenty of nectar are the subject of exploitation by local and migratory birds.

The cattle egret is pure white and virtually devoid of any of the special and decorative plumes its cousins have. The bill is tough and yellow, and during the breeding season, it gets a deep orange or buffish colour over the head, neck and back and the legs turn reddish from their usual dark green.

The egret strolls over the grass-covered areas patiently watching for any movement of insects or worms and jabbing at them with lightning speed.