Little Bittern

The Little Bittern ( Ixobrychus minutus ) is a hidden wild bird extensive reedbeds of the heron family ( Ardeidae ).

Appearance

The Little Bittern corresponds to their body size 27-36 inches in about a jay. This makes it the smallest heron species that occurs in Central Europe. Back, shoulders and tail are feathered greenish- black in the male bird. On the neck, on the chest and on the rest of the body underside is the plumage of a yellowish color. The female has a similar plumage, but it is less contrasty. Back and shoulders do not show the contrast Greenish - black of the male, but rather a dark brown, as well as neck, chest and flanks are more brownish. In flight, the neck is S-shaped curved.

Young birds have a bright - dark mottled plumage, the back is brownish.

Dissemination

Least Bittern live in parts of Europe, western Asia and in sub-Saharan Africa. They are so -called migratory birds as long-distance migrant, because breeding populations in Europe to attract wintering to southern Africa.

Habitat

The habitat of the Little Bittern includes freshwater marshes, riparian forests, peat bogs, abandoned clay pits and similar habitats with dense vegetation and tall reeds. It breeds there, especially in the sedimentation zone.

Way of life

The Little Bittern is a shy bird, which is diurnal and crepuscular. He flies reluctant to, then sweeps usually low over the reeds and falls after a short flight path usually cover again a. Typically, it solidifies like the bittern at fault in a stake position in which the camouflage of the reed yellow and brown dashed chest comes into play.

Least Bittern eat fish, insects, frogs and tadpoles and worms and mollusks. This they capture by climbing slowly through the reeds or motionless waiting for prey to show up.

Hazard and stock situation

The Little Bittern is led by the World Conservation Union IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Despite the apparent decline in inventory, it describes the global situation of the species as not at risk (Least Concern ). The extremely large distribution area, the assumed slow population decline in total comprehensive holding argue against a higher risk categorization. Generally, for this type large inventory fluctuations typical, whose cause is unknown, however, is little known. So the little bittern is partly completely disappeared in many breeding areas since the late 1960s, without there being recognizable habitat changes. Since there are comparable inventory declines in long- distance migrants such as Purple Heron, Night Heron, Sand Martin and Redstart, the cross as the bittern large desert areas and engage in the Sahel or hibernate, it is possible that the decline is a result of dry years in Africa. Among other things, the Lake Chad dried up temporarily. In Africa, there is also a strong habitat loss through agricultural intensification.

The stock situation of the Least Bittern in Central Europe is worrying. The decline in Germany is so strong that it is threatened with extinction ( Red List category 1 ). The breeding population was estimated in 1985 with only 460 pairs, but so isolated from each other lived, that a mutual exchange no longer seems possible. For 2005, the stock of breeding pairs is given as 97-150. In Switzerland, the breeding population was estimated in the 1980s to 45 pairs. The distribution area of Central Europe is Hungary, where in 1998 happen 4000-6000 breeding pairs.

The cause of the decline is mainly due to the loss of suitable habitats. Both wetlands and reed beds are either destroyed or they are subject by water, swimmers and fishermen such a high fault that they are no longer accepted as a breeding area for the Least Bittern.

The species belongs to the Annex I of the EU Birds Directive ( 79/409/EEC RL ). For them, bird sanctuaries are recognized in the European Union.