Cattle egret was originally native to parts of Southern Spain and Portugal, tropical and subtropical Africa and humid tropical and subtropical Asia. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Cattle egrets exploit drier and open habitats. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. The cattle egret feeds on a wide range of prey, particularly insects, especially grasshoppers, crickets, flies (adults and maggots), and moths, as well as spiders, frogs, and earthworms.

The cattle egret (Linnaeus) is a stocky heron with an 88-96 cm (35-38 in) wingspan; it is 46-56 cm (18-22 in) long and weighs 270-512 g (9.5-18.1 oz).It has a relatively short thick neck, a sturdy bill, and a hunched posture. The non-breeding adult has mainly white plumage, a yellow bill and greyish-yellow legs. During the breeding season, adults of the nominate western subspecies develop orange-buff plumes on the back, breast and crown, and the bill, legs and irises become bright red for a brief period prior to pairing.

The breeding season varies within South Asia. Nesting in northern India begins with the onset of monsoons in May. A new mate is chosen in each season and when re-nesting following nest failure. The nest is a small untidy platform of sticks in a tree or shrub constructed by both parents. Cattle egret maintains a special relationship with cattle which extends to other large grazing mammals. The cattle egret removes ticks and flies from cattle and consumes them. This benefits both species, but it has been implicated in the spread of tick-borne animal diseases.

Its global population estimated to be 3.8-6.7 million individuals. The cattle egret is a popular bird with cattle ranchers for its perceived role as a biocontrol of cattle parasites such as ticks and flies.