The past two articles have explored the ways of four varieties of birds called egrets. In addition, we will look at just a few more.
The reddish egret is one of the more recent immigrants to the United States and is still found in great numbers in various parts of Central America. Medium sized, it lives in brackish (somewhat salty) lakes and salt marshes along the Gulf Coast.
Those we have already looked at have all been white. This one has reddish and orange-red feathers from its head down beyond its chest and is crowned with spindly feathers over the top of its head. Its main body feathers are grayish-black mottled with white.
The gray egret is another three-foot-tall bird that is an exception to the pure whites. It is bluish-gray on its upper plumage and wears a crest of the same color over its head. However, forehead, neck, and edges of wings are white with pretty white plumes hanging from its neck, contrasting with the blue-black sides of its breast and flanks.
We have saved the cattle egrets for last, because their feeding habits and manner of life are different from all the rest. They look much like the others, although they are small, white birds with pink eyes and yellow bills.
In their native land of Africa, they are usually found where there are water buffalo and other browsing wild animals. Great numbers of egrets follow these animals as they graze, snatching insects stirred up by the animals’ hooves. They often ride on the backs of these big beasts. Egrets have no other choice with hippos, which move through plant-covered ponds where they disturb insects that fly into the air. These insects are quickly snatched by the birds. None of these animals seem to mind having the birds riding on their backs.
Those egrets which have migrated to the Americas do just as well as their African relatives. They have found herds of grazing cattle and ride on the backs of the animals. Some even follow tractors when they are turning over the soil. You can tell by this that cattle egrets are not interested in frogs, lizards and fish like the wading egrets; their diet is almost entirely limited to insects.
The psalmist declared, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand” (Psalm 95:67). David knew what it was to be truly one of the Lord’s people and to have Him as his Good Shepherd. Have you made Him your Good Shepherd and Saviour too?
ML-09/19/2004
SEPTEMBER 19, 2004