Determining the Food Requirements of Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) Chicks

This study investigated the food resources of cattle egret chicks at 2 wetlands in Korea, namely Taeseong-Ri and Kamseong-Ri, Chungcheongnam-do from 2001 to 2003. Cattle egrets were observed to feed on 26 individuals from 8 species at Kamseong-Ri and 24 individuals from 7 species at Taeseong-Ri. The Chinese muddy loach (Misgurnus mizolepis) represented 30.8% and 29.1%, respectively, of the food resources at Kamseong-Ri and Taeseong-Ri. This was followed by species of the order Orthoptera, representing 26.9% and 20.8% of the food resources, respectively, at Kamseong-Ri and Taeseong-Ri. Furthermore, amphibians comprised a large component of forage matter, representing 34.6% and 45.8% food resources, respectively at Kamseong-Ri and Taeseong-Ri. We found that chick age was strongly correlated with the size and fresh weight of the food. Surveys of food resources are very important to ensure that key habitats are preserved in a rapidly changing environment due to industrialization.