The furtive Least Bittern is often little more than a voice in the reeds that is frustratingly difficult to locate. But these diminutive herons reward patience and will charm birders persistent enough to discover them in their wetland haunts. They’re smartly clad in chestnut, buff, and black, with the male more richly colored than the female. Although drainage and development of wetlands has ...

One of the smallest herons in the world, adapted for life in dense marshes. Rather than wading in the shallows like most herons, the Least Bittern climbs about in cattails and reeds, clinging to the...

The least bittern (Botaurus exilis) is a small heron, the smallest member of the family Ardeidae found in the Americas. This species was formerly placed in the genus Ixobrychus.

This diminutive heron is fairly common in its preferred wetland habitat, but secretive and easily overlooked. Tiny size and attractive pattern of orange, black, and white is distinctive among herons within its range. Males are blacker above; females are browner. Occurs throughout much of North and South America, where it can be found in marshes with a mix of open water and vegetation, often ...

Least Bitterns won’t come to bird feeders—but a small self-made wetland in your yard can store, filter, and clean runoff water from your roof and yard and provide habitat for insects, amphibians, and birds, possibly including a shy migrating bittern.

Mar 9, 2023 · The Least Bittern is a very small heron. They have daggerlike bills, long necks that they often keep drawn in, and long legs and toes, giving them a hunched appearance. These birds may raise the neck and crown feathers when they are agitated. Least Bitterns can be found in brackish or freshwater marshes with tall, dense vegetation like cattail or other reeds. Walk slowly and pause to listen ...

Basic facts about Least Bittern: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status.

Identification: The least bittern has buffy underparts, a white throat with yellow-brown on the sides of the neck, a slightly crested head, a slender, dull yellow bill, and yellow eyes. The crown and back are black in males and brown in females. The species also has a dark phase in which brown-red replaces all lighter colors of the normal phase. …

The least bittern is the smallest member of the Ardeidae (heron) family in North America at just 13 inches in length, a wingspan of 17 inches, and an average weight of just three ounces.

The furtive Least Bittern is often little more than a voice in the reeds that is frustratingly difficult to locate. But these diminutive herons reward patience and will charm birders persistent enough to discover them in their wetland haunts. They’re smartly clad in chestnut, buff, and black, with the male more richly colored than the female. Although drainage and development of wetlands has ...