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(Female & Flight photos added. Distribution & Taxonomy expanded. References) |
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==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
− | 27-36 cm in length, 40-58 cm wingspan and 60-150 g weight. | + | 27-36 cm in length, 40-58 cm wingspan and 60-150 g weight.<br /> |
+ | Buff underparts, black back and crown, wings are black with a large white patch on each wing.<br /> | ||
+ | The '''female''' has a browner back and a buff-brown wing patch. | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
− | [[Africa]], central and southern [[Europe]], western and southern [[Asia]], and [[Australasia]]. | + | [[Image:15559little-bittern-fem.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo by {{user|john-henry|v}}<br />Lesvos, [[Greece]], May 2004]] |
+ | [[Africa]], central and southern [[Europe]], western and southern [[Asia]], and [[Australasia]].<br /> | ||
+ | '''Europe''': [[Iceland]], [[Norway]], [[Sweden]], [[Finland]], [[Faroe Islands]], The [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], [[Luxembourg]], [[France]], [[Portugal]], [[Madeira]], [[Spain]], [[Ibiza]], [[Mallorca]], [[Canary Islands]], [[Monaco]], [[Switzerland]], [[Liechtenstein]], [[Germany]], [[Austria]], [[Italy]], [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Belarus]], [[Poland]], [[Czechoslovakia]], [[Slovakia]], [[Hungary]], [[Slovenia]], [[Croatia]], [[Yugoslavia]], [[Montenegro]], [[Serbia]], [[Albania]], [[Macedonia]], [[Greece]], [[Crete]], [[Corfu]], [[Malta]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Romania]], [[Ukraine]]<br /> | ||
+ | '''Northern Africa''': [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], [[Tunisia]], [[Libya]], [[Egypt]]<br /> | ||
+ | '''Western Africa''': [[Mauritania]], [[Senegal]], [[The Gambia]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Guinea]], [[Mali]], [[Sierra Leone]], [[Liberia]], [[Ivory Coast]], [[Ghana]], [[Togo]], [[Nigeria]], [[Niger]], [[Chad]], [[Cameroon]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Equatorial Guinea]], [[Gabon]], [[Congo]], [[Democratic Republic of Congo]], [[Angola]]<br /> | ||
+ | '''Eastern Africa''': [[Sudan]], [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]], [[Tanzania]], [[Zanzibar]], [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]]<br /> | ||
+ | '''Southern Africa''': [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[KwaZulu-Natal]], [[Lesotho]], [[Swaziland]]<br /> | ||
+ | '''African Islands''': [[Cape Verde]], Gulf of Guinea Islands, [[Sao Tome]], [[Principe]], [[Madagascar]]<br /> | ||
+ | '''Middle East''': [[Turkey]], [[Cyprus]], [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Israel]], [[Jordan]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]], [[Oman]], [[United Arab Emirates]], [[Qatar]], [[Bahrain]], [[Kuwait]], [[Iraq]], [[Iran]], [[Armenia]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Georgia]]<br /> | ||
+ | '''Asia''': [[Russia]], [[Siberia]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Mongolia]], [[China]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]], [[India]], Eastern and Western [[Himalayas]]<br /> | ||
+ | '''Australasia''': [[Papua New Guinea]], [[New Guinea]], [[Australia]], [[New South Wales]], [[Queensland]], [[South Australia]], [[Victoria]], [[Western Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[New Caledonia]] | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
+ | [[Image:Bird23.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|Bonnán|Bonnán}}<br />Ayia Reservoir, [[Crete]], October 2008]] | ||
There are four subspecies | There are four subspecies | ||
+ | ====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>==== | ||
+ | *''I. m. minutus'': | ||
+ | :*Central and southern [[Europe]] to [[Siberia]]; North [[Africa]] | ||
+ | *''I. m. payesii'': | ||
+ | :*[[Africa]] south of the Sahara | ||
+ | *''I. m. podiceps'': | ||
+ | :*[[Madagascar]] | ||
+ | *''I. m. dubius'': | ||
+ | :*South-western and eastern [[Australia]] and [[New Guinea]] | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
Reedbeds | Reedbeds | ||
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<flashmp3>Ixobrychus minutus (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | <flashmp3>Ixobrychus minutus (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | ||
''[[Media:Ixobrychus minutus (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ''[[Media:Ixobrychus minutus (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ||
+ | ==References== | ||
+ | #{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}#Avibase | ||
+ | {{ref}}. | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
{{GSearch|Ixobrychus+minutus}} | {{GSearch|Ixobrychus+minutus}} |
Revision as of 13:07, 10 May 2009
- Ixobrychus minutus
Identification
27-36 cm in length, 40-58 cm wingspan and 60-150 g weight.
Buff underparts, black back and crown, wings are black with a large white patch on each wing.
The female has a browner back and a buff-brown wing patch.
Distribution
Africa, central and southern Europe, western and southern Asia, and Australasia.
Europe: Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Faroe Islands, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Portugal, Madeira, Spain, Ibiza, Mallorca, Canary Islands, Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Crete, Corfu, Malta, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Northern Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Swaziland
African Islands: Cape Verde, Gulf of Guinea Islands, Sao Tome, Principe, Madagascar
Middle East: Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia
Asia: Russia, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, China, Nepal, Pakistan, India, Eastern and Western Himalayas
Australasia: Papua New Guinea, New Guinea, Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia
Taxonomy
There are four subspecies
Subspecies[1]
- I. m. minutus:
- I. m. payesii:
- Africa south of the Sahara
- I. m. podiceps:
- I. m. dubius:
- South-western and eastern Australia and New Guinea
Habitat
Reedbeds
Behaviour
Breeding
It nests on platforms of reeds in shrubs, and 4-8 eggs are laid.
Diet
Diet includes insects, fish and amphibians.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Ixobrychus minutus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Avibase
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Little Bittern. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 March 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Little_Bittern.
External Links