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5

Little Bittern

(Ixobrychus minutus)
Alternate name(s): "Common Little Bittern"
German name(s): "Zwergdommel"

Size: 25-36 cm; wing span 40-58 cm
Weight: 60-150 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Little Bittern at Wikipedia .

Click here for classification information

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "minutus"

ADULT

MALE

Near-frontal view of a male Little Bittern with nuptial flush, as indicated by the bright-red bill (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, June 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Little Bittern with nuptial flush (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, June 2019]

Frontal view of a male Little Bittern - this bird is smaller than a Common Moorhen! (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Frontal view of a male Little Bittern in reeds (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Frontal view of a male Little Bittern (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2013]

Near-frontal view of a male Little Bittern (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2013]

Near-lateral view of a male Little Bittern in cryptic posture (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2013]

Lateral view of a male Little Bittern flushing from cover (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a male Little Bittern shortly after take-off (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a male Little Bittern; note the somewhat awkward posture (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Distant near-dorsal view of a male Little Bittern in flight, showing the characteristic upperwing pattern
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2018]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Little Bittern (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Dorsal view of a female Little Bittern ducking into cover (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Elvas, Alentejo, Portugal, September 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Little Bittern (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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