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Record number of cattle-friendly birds at reserve

Emma StanleyNorth West
Lisa Wilkinson Gamble A white small bird with a yellow beak and pale orange feathers on its head stands beside a grass-grazing longhorn calf, with dark brown and white fur.Lisa Wilkinson Gamble
The birds like to feed beside the centre's longhorn cattle

More cattle egrets have been spotted at a wetland nature reserve than ever before.

Experts used a thermal imaging camera to count the small, white herons - renowned for their close relationship with grazing animals such as cows, sheep and horses - as they gathered to roost at Martin Mere in West Lancashire.

The species feeds on invertebrates, including grasshoppers, ticks and crickets, taking advantage of grassy areas being churned up by hooves.

Martin Mere said the rise from 29 to 74 cattle egrets was likely linked to a combination of a warmer winter and breeding habitats being better protected.

Lisa Wilkinson Gamble A white small bird with a yellow beak and long dark legs stands on the head of a longhorn cow, with dark brown and white fur.Lisa Wilkinson Gamble
Last year 29 of the birds were recorded in Burscough, Lancashire

Highly sociable, cattle egrets typically nest and roost in large colonies, often alongside other heron species.

Their growing presence at Martin Mere mirrors a wider trend across the UK.

Once considered a rare visitor, the species first bred in Britain in 2008, when two pairs nested in Somerset following a large influx of birds that winter.

Since then, their population has expanded, from occasional sightings to dozens of breeding pairs nationwide.

Wildlife-friendly farming practices may also be contributing to their numbers, Martin Mere said.

Regenerative approaches that improve soil health support richer invertebrate populations, creating ideal feeding conditions for the cattle egret.

Lisa Wilkinson Gamble A white small bird with a yellow beak stands on grass with something that looks like a black frog in its mouthLisa Wilkinson Gamble
The species feeds on invertebrates, including grasshoppers, ticks and crickets. Sometimes they even eat frogs

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