# 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.

- **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.

## About

The little bittern ( Botaurus minutus ) is a wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae. This species was formerly placed in the genus Ixobrychus .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/5ec0daaa-c247-46a9-acb6-cc46c3dc8d89
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1578961
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_bittern
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/5693451/medium.jpeg (Carles Pastor, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.