Little bittern

Introduction: Little bitterns (Ixobrychus minutus) inhabit in emerging vegetation in shallow water, wooded streams and rivers. Active throughout the day and night.

Distribution: Scattered distribution, largely absent from the drier western Namibia. Found in some regions of the Orange River and Fish River Canyon, Caprivi, Kaudom Game Park, Etosha National Park.

Diet: Creeps through cover for frogs, lizards, fish and terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates.

Description: Small bittern with short legs and a characteristic longer inner toe than the outer. The bill is pointed and serrated near the tip. Ixobrychus is a combination of 2 Greek words, ixos for 'reed' and brychus for 'roar', referring to their habitat and grunting calls.

Breeding: Breeds mainly in bulrushes and reeds. Females lay 2 to 5 eggs on a reed stem nest lined with green grass and placed in bulrushes.

Size: 35cm.

Weight: 110g.