Tejdeep Kaur Kler and Ishamjeet
Abstract
A total of 54 published papers from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America have been reviewed and information was analyzed in view of regional variations in the breeding biology of Cattle Egrets. Studies indicate Cattle Egrets preferring the months of April to July for breeding both in Asia and Africa and reproduction is greatly impacted by the rainy season. 57% of the research papers published on the breeding of Cattle Egrets show Acacia and Ficus are the first preference for nesting. However many other species like Fraxinus angustifolia, Tamarixa fricana, Salix alba, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Pinusha lepensis, Mimusop sellengi, Lagerstroemia species, Alnus glutinosa, Mangifera indica, Melia azedarach and Syzygium cuminii were also used in these regions. The selection of nest height is correlated with the presence of waterbodies at their nesting site and a high nest height was found in fewer papers. Food quality, location of the nest, and clutch size have a great impact on breeding success as discussed in the majority of papers. Because of its agricultural importance, there is a need to compile and compare the work carried out on this and other heron species in different regions of the world for their proper conservation. Significance of the present review This review provides information about various aspects related to the breeding biology of Cattle Egrets and their variations in different regions.