Black Bittern
Schwarzdommel in flight
The black or Malaiendommel ( Ixobrychus flavicollis ) is a wading bird of the heron family. The range of the species is Southeast Asia and Australia.
Features
The Schwarzdommel is a small heron bird with a body length of about 54-66 centimeters. The wingspan is 80 inches. The weight varies from 300 to 420 grams.
Their plumage is predominantly black, only on the underside of the head and neck, it has yellow feathers, which also derives its scientific name.
The Schwarzdommel is a very shy type, which occurs singly or in pairs in the dense riparian vegetation of rivers, swamps, billabongs, floodplains and mangroves. During the resting phase it stays in dense vegetation. Situated Startled Schwarzdommel initially not fly on, but always looking for cover in denser vegetation. Occasionally, they take the dommeltypische pile position, thereby, the bill vertically upwards. Schwarzdommeln are strong fliers, in flight the head is leaning back.
Distribution and habitat
It inhabits, like most bitterns, densely overgrown with reeds wetlands and marshes. But they are also found in mangroves and rice fields. Here, their range includes all of South and Southeast Asia from India to the Philippines. They are found also in Australia. There it occurs in a wide belt along the coastal areas of northern and eastern Australia. An isolated occurrence, there is also in the south of Western Australia between Perth and Esperance. In south-west Western Australia it was originally widespread, their inventory but there declined significantly in the second half of the 20th century.
Behavior
The Schwarzdommel is nocturnal and hides during the day in the reeds or undergrowth. It feeds on small fish, frogs, molluscs and insects. The female lays four light green or light blue eggs. The young birds are brought together by the parents, but otherwise the Schwarzdommel lives as a loner.