Due to climate change, a new bird species has established itself in Austria for breeding: the cattle egret. Known as a companion to large herds of ungulates on the savannas, the bird, scientifically named Bubulcus ibis, restricted its breeding range to southern Spain and Africa. Four breeding pairs have now been identified for the first time at the Lower Inn in Upper Austria, BirdLife Austria reported Friday.
The white bird, which wears a striking plumage during courtship, expanded its breeding range to America, Australia and southern Europe as early as the 20th century. Over the past 20 years, it has conquered wetlands in the southern half of Europe and has also created breeding grounds in northern Europe, as far north as the Netherlands and Great Britain and as far east as Hungary and the Czech Republic.
“Due to the increasingly warmer climate here in Austria and the increasing drought in Spain, it was only a matter of time before the cattle egret would settle here,” explains Florian Billinger, specialist at BirdLife Austria.
The Lower Inn is an attractive breeding area for cattle egrets because as colony breeders they like to join long-established, species-mixed heron colonies, as is the case there. In addition, the area is largely undisturbed by the construction of the power station in 1966 and the accompanying decades-long travel ban. In addition, the risk of dehydration is low due to the impoundment areas with the many large areas of shallow water, according to the bird protection organization
Source: Krone
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