Yellow Bittern

Chinadommel ( Ixobrychus sinensis)

The Chinadommel ( Ixobrychus sinensis) is a common in East Asia relatives of the Little Bittern. It belongs to the family of herons.

Features

The 30 to 40 cm long Chinadommel is characterized as all representatives of the bitterns by a short neck and a long beak. It weighs an average of 54 grams. Their plumage is of a yellowish - brown color. Head and neck of the male are maroon with a black crown. In the female head, neck and chest are brown striped, while the young are almost completely covered with brown stripes.

Occurrence

She lives in the southern and eastern Asia from Pakistan through India to Southeast Asia and to China, Korea and Japan. In the tropical part of its range it is a state bird, while the populations of the temperate regions draw southward. The wintering areas include Indonesia and New Guinea. As Irrgast the Chinadommel reached occasionally Christmas Island and Australia.

Your preferred habitat are reedy wetlands. It also occurs in mangrove swamps and flooded rice fields.

Behavior

The Chinadommel builds a nest of reeds in the bushes or undergrowth. There the female lays four to six eggs. Their diet consists of small fish, amphibians and insects. Since they often flies in contrast to other bitterns, it can be observed relatively well despite their otherwise hidden life.

Documents

• Bikram Grewal: Birds in India and Nepal. Giessen 2000.
• Josep del Hoyo et al.: Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 1 ( Ostrich to Ducks ). Lynx Edicions, 1992, ISBN 84-87334-10-5.
• Higgins PJ ( eds): Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds. Volume 1, Ratites to Ducks, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1990, ISBN 0-19-553068-3.