Little Bittern
Botaurus minutus
When threatened, it performs the 'bittern posture,' stretching its body and bill vertically and swaying gently to mimic wind-blown reeds.
- Scientific name
- Botaurus minutus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Pelecaniformes › Ardeidae › Botaurus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Dense reed beds, marshes, swamps, and the vegetated margins of lakes and slow-moving rivers.
- Diet
- Small fish, frogs, tadpoles, aquatic insects, spiders, and small crustaceans.
- Range
- Europe, Western Asia, Africa, Madagascar
- Size
- Length: 33-38 cm, Wingspan: 52-58 cm, Weight: 60-150 g.
- Lifespan
- Up to 10 years in the wild.
- Active
- crepuscular
- Threats
- Wetland drainage, habitat fragmentation, water pollution, and the destruction of reed beds.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and highly secretive. If spotted in reed beds, maintain a safe distance of at least 15 meters to avoid disrupting its foraging. Do not attempt to handle; like all herons, it may stab defensively with its sharp, spear-like bill if cornered. If you find an injured bird, contact local wildlife rehabilitators.
The little bittern ( Botaurus minutus ) is a wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae. This species was formerly placed in the genus Ixobrychus .
Photo: Carles Pastor, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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