Cattle egrets nest at WWT Arundel Wetland Centre for the first time

Cattle egrets have nested at WWT Arundel Wetland Centre for the first time.

Three nests, all with hatched, active chicks, were spotted by the Reserve Manager Suzi Lanaway on Saturday, September 7, after hearing the noise of chicks during the week. The brief glimpses of the chicks show they are already well-feathered and could leave the nests in a few weeks.

In late August Reserve Wardens at WWT Arundel noticed cattle egrets carrying sticks into the leafy trees near the spot where the egrets usually roost overnight. Cattle egrets nest together in colonies, like other herons. The little colony is tucked away in the trees between the Ramsar hide and the Sand Martin hide.

Reserve Manager Suzi Lanaway said: “The cattle egrets are still in their breeding plumage, sporting the characteristic orange feathers on the head, breast and back. Their breeding season lasts until October, so we were hopeful they were building nests. We are so excited to have seen the chicks!”

Cattle egrets first bred in the UK in 2008. The first cattle egret chicks recorded in Sussex were in 2020, with five nests in May at Pagham Harbour. Before 2008 the nearest nesting sites to the UK were in Northern France.

Sightings of these small, white herons have increased at WWT Arundel over the past three years. In 2024 they outnumber the little egrets that come into roost at the wetland centre. Cattle egrets have yellow-grey legs and a yellow beak, instead of the black legs and black beak of the Little egret. Also dropping in at WWT Arundel are the much larger Great egrets.

Cattle egrets are attracted to farmland, wetlands, and grassland habitats. The egrets have been spotted around the cattle that Arundel Wetland Centre uses to graze the wet grasslands in summer and autumn.

If you want to visit to try to spot the cattle egret chicks, WWT Arundel Wetland Centre is open from 10am -4.30pm seven days a week. Visit wwt.org.uk/arundel for details.