Birds · Pelecaniformes · Ardeidae

Little Bittern

Ixobrychus minutus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The smallest heron in Europe, tiny and extraordinarily unobtrusive. It moves easily through the marsh vegetation, climbing the stems, and is very hard to see despite occupying well-visited wetlands.

Weight

140 g – 160 g

Size

33 cm – 38 cm

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Estimated population

A Spanish population of close to 2,000 pairs

FreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal In pairs Bird Freshwater

58countries 33parks11same family

Fun facts

It is the emblem bird of the South-East Regional Park in Madrid, where its population does not exceed 25-30 pairs.
Despite its tiny size it catches small vertebrates as well as large insects.
Its crepuscular habits and its ability to freeze among the reeds make it one of the least known inhabitants of our wetlands.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Marshes, riverbanks, reservoirs, lagoons and wetlands with plenty of marsh vegetation, above all reedbeds, where it places its nest and moves among the stems
Birth weight: Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
Size at birth: Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 17-19 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 5-6 white eggs, in a nest built in the reedbed

Sources consulted: SEO/BirdLife (ficha y III Atlas de las aves en época de reproducción en España); IUCN Red List; Asturnatura; estudio sobre biología reproductora en el delta del Ebro; Parque Regional del Sureste (Comunidad de Madrid); MITECO