Birdorable Blog

2013 Bonanza Bird #29: Least Bittern

July 29th, 2013 in Birdorable Bonanza 2013, Herons – 5 comments

We’re adding new birds each day until we reach our 500th Birdorable species! Today’s Bonanza bird is species #498 overall: the Least Bittern.

Least Bitterns are very small herons found in freshwater or brackish wetland-type habitats in the Americas. They are the smallest species of heron found within their range.

Least Bittern by Maureen Leong-Kee (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Least Bitterns are usually found in reed beds, sometimes over rather deep water. They can hunt for small prey like fish, frogs, and insects in water that is too deep for wading birds to enter. They perch on or straddle reeds and look down for prey. If they see something tasty, they stab into the water with their long, pointed beaks.

Tune in tomorrow to see #499! Wednesday we will reveal our 500th Birdorable!

5 comments on "2013 Bonanza Bird #29: Least Bittern"

5 Aug 2013
at 5:36am

ILOVEBIRDS! wrote:

Uhmmm

2 Mar 2017
at 3:49pm

Louise Warner wrote:

what's in the background?

22 Nov 2018
at 3:59pm

Andrew wrote:

least bittern is yellow feathers his name's lily

12 Apr 2020
at 4:59am

Spurwing Plover wrote:

Least Bittern smallists Heron the one in the picture is a Male reconized by his black cap and back and THE BITTER BITER BITTERN,BIT THE BETTER BROTHER BITTERN,AND THE BETTER BROTHER BITTERN BIT THE BITTER BITER BACK

22 May 2022
at 5:36pm

Spurwing Plover wrote:

Male has Black Cap and Back