Least Bittern
Least Bittern: Very small, secretive heron with black cap and back, and white throat and belly. Wings have conspicuous pale brown patches visible in flight. The bill, legs and feet are yellow. Feeds on fish, insects, small amphibians, crustaceans and invertebrates.
● Song:
"coo-coo-coo"
● Foraging & Feeding:
Least Bittern: Diet consists of small fish, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, leeches, slugs, crayfish, dragonflies, aquatic bugs, and occasionally shrews and mice.
● Breeding & nesting:
Least Bittern: Two to seven pale blue to green eggs are laid in a platform nest made of dead and living plant stems, and built about a foot above the water, usually at the base of dried, emergent vegetation. Incubation ranges from 17 to 20 days and is carried out by both parents.
● Similar species:
Least Bittern: Green Heron lacks buff on head and wings.