Dwarf Bittern

Ixobrychus sturmii

Wetlands. Upperparts dark grey black; underparts streaked grey.

Bitterns, Egrets, Herons

Not Endemic

Description

Uncommon summer resident and visitor. Told by slate-grey upper parts and heavily streaked underparts; orange-yellow legs and feet often hang down in flight. Immature is rufous below with rufous-tipped feathers above. Flight is direct and pigeon-like. Usually solitary and largely crepuscular or nocturnal. Frequents well-wooded rivers and bushes or thickets standing in floodwaters. When disturbed may adopt a sky-pointing posture, as illustrated. Perches in a tree when flushed. Nomadic.

Quick Facts

Bird Family

Water-associated birds with long bills and necks and long legs. When breeding, many species have long, filamentous plumes on their back or lower breast (or both), while others have more or less permanent long plumes on their napes. In flight, they tuck their heads into their shoulders, thus differing from storks, ibises and cranes. They seldom soar. Many herons are solitary in habit and secretive; others are gregarious and seen more frequently. Most perch in trees and nest in trees or reeds, or even on the ground. All have harsh, squawking voices heard mostly when flushed. Four comparative silhouettes represent (a): Dwarf Bittern; (b): Squacco Heron; (c): Little Egret; and (d): Grey Heron.