cattle egret

noun

: a small Old World white egret (Bubulcus ibis) introduced into the New World and having a yellow bill and in the breeding season buff on the crown, breast, and back

Examples of cattle egret in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Austin Wildlife Rescue took in 30 Mississippi kites and 30 cattle egrets last week. — Rachel Royster, Austin American-Statesman, 20 July 2024 In the late eighteen-hundreds, trade winds carried the cattle egret nearly two thousand miles from Africa to South America. — Michael Adno, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cattle egret was circa 1899

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Cite this Entry

“Cattle egret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cattle%20egret. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cattle egret

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cattle egret

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