Tropical Audubon Society

South Florida’s Voice of Conservation

At Wakodahatchee, I spotted this cattle egret flying overhead, and noticed what looked like black feathers protruding from either side of its neck. On closer inspection, it's hard to say if it's feathers, a growth, a fungus, some kind of wire or yarn...it comes out of a few different places on the neck, and was on both sides of his neck. I wondered if anyone might have an idea of what is going on with this bird?