Least Bittern (us-RGV)
From WikiBird
Contents |
Regional Information
Range, Abundance, and Seasonal Variations
Directions and Maps
General Information
Size
Length: ??cm (??in), Wingspan: ??cm (??in)
Field Marks
Very small wading bird. Buff face and sides to the neck. White chin, throat, foreneck and belly. Buff wing coverts visible in flight and at rest. Adult male: Black cap. Black back. Fairly faint brown streaks on fore-neck. Adult female: Brown cap. Brown back. More obvious brown streaks on fore-neck. Juvenile: Buff cap does not contrast with face. Blackish streaks on foreneck. Brown back.
Similar species
Green Heron lacks buff color to head and wings. All other herons are much larger.
Sounds
Feeding & Behavior
They mainly eat fish and insects, which they capture with quick jabs of their bill while climbing through marsh plants.
Habitat & Nesting
These birds nest in large marshes with dense vegetation from southern Canada to northern Argentina. The nest is a well-concealed platform built from cattails and other marsh vegetation. The female lays 4 or 5 eggs. Both parents feed the young by regurgitating food. A second brood is often produced in a season.
Range
These birds migrate from the northern parts of their range in winter for the southernmost coasts of the United States and areas further south, travelling at night.
Resources
