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Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis Martinetito,
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Photo: G. Beaton
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IDENTIFICATION: A small, secretive heron with blackish upperparts contrasting with brown and white underparts. A chestnut or buff colored wing patch is striking when the bird flies. Length: 28-36 cm.; weight: 80 g. VOICE: The song is a series of deep, rapid cooing notes, much like that of a dove. Audio (M. Oberle). HABITAT: Shallow marshes or pond edges, with tall emergent vegetation; sometimes mangroves. HABITS: The Least Bittern has a narrow body and long, curved claws that aid in tunneling through dense reeds. This bird is well camouflaged in marsh vegetation. When alarmed, it either freezes, with its head pointing skyward to blend in with the reeds, or else it tunnels quickly into thick vegetation. When it flies, its legs dangle below it. It eats small fish, frogs, dragonflies, other insects and invertebrates. Although the Least Bittern often feeds by standing still and waiting for prey to approach, it sometimes flicks its wings to startle prey into view. Both sexes build a nest of reeds and sticks on the ground, or low in a bush or reed patch, but the male does most of the construction. Both sexes share in incubating the 2-5 eggs for 17-20 days. When the pair exchanges incubation duties, they go through a greeting display by rattling their bills and erecting their body feathers. Both sexes feed the young, which leave the nest about 13-15 days after hatching, and can fly at about 25 days. STATUS AND CONSERVATION: A common, permanent resident in marshes with tall vegetation. Some Least Bitterns breeding in eastern North America migrate to the Caribbean in winter. The drainage of wetlands has decreased habitat for this species, but since the bittern is so secretive, it is hard to track changes in its population levels. RANGE: Breeds in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and scattered islands in the eastern Caribbean. It also breeds in eastern North America and in scattered locations in the western USA, Mexico, Central America and South America, south to Peru and southern Brazil. A regular location to find this species is at the Humacao Nature Reserve. TAXONOMY: CICONIIFORMES; ARDEIDAE |
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Photo: G. Beaton
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