Bittern Dwarf
Dwergreier
The dwarf bittern (Ixobrychus sturmii) is a small species of heron in the family Ardeidae, native to tropical and sub-tropical Africa
Dwarf bittern
Scientific classification e
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Pelecaniformes
Family:Ardeidae
Genus:Ixobrychus
Species:I. sturmii
Binomial name
Ixobrychus sturmii
(Wagler, 1827)
Ixobrychus sturmii
The dwarf bittern (Ixobrychus sturmii) is a small species of heron in the family Ardeidae, native to tropical and sub-tropical Africa.
This is a member of the genus Ixobrychus, which contains many of the smallest herons in the world. Going on reported length, from 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in), this is perhaps the smallest species of heron. The weight is similar to other Ixobrychus species, reportedly from 60 to 150 g (2.1 to 5.3 oz), averaging 75–110 g (2.6–3.9 oz).[4] The wingspan reportedly averages 45 to 50 cm (18 to 20 in). The male has a dark slate grey head and neck, with elongated head and neck feathers. The bill is dark overall, being black to dark green on top and yellow on the lower bill. The lores and orbital skin are blue to yellow green and the irises are red brown to dark red. The back, upper wings and other upper parts are dark slate grey. Its throat and upper breast are pale buff, darkening to tawny on the abdomen, heavily streaked black. The legs and feet are green yellow in front and yellow in back. In courtship legs and feet turn bright orange. The female is paler, with a more rufous tinge on its belly and yellow irises. The immature bird is a more buff and pale version than the adult. It is distinguished from the black bittern of Asia by its striped belly, dark neck tufts, shorter, darker bill and much smaller size. It is distinguished from the green and striated herons by its smaller size and slow flight, its pale and heavily streaked underparts, and its uniform (not barred) upper parts.
he dwarf bittern occurs year-round in much of tropical and sub-tropical Africa, with the most southern habitats only visited during the breeding season. It has been reported from Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
This is a migratory species within Africa, particularly in the north and south. Movements of equatorial birds are less clear. Birds occur in South Africa in the November to April wet season. In the dry season, birds from both north and south the migrate toward the equator (Brown et al. 1982). The species does wander outside its usual range, including further into South Africa (Ingram 1998), the Canary Islands, and France.
Dwarf bitterns feed solitarily or in pairs, hunting by night and, especially if it is cloudy, by day. This it does silently and unobtrusively by standing and by walking slowly. This daily schedule overlaps availability of frogs (Tarboton 1980, Hustler and Williamson 1985). Dwarf bitterns sometimes prefer to sneak through vegetation and reeds rather than climb or perch on them. When disturbed, they stay put at the water's edge in an exaggerated version of the bittern posture or it often fly up into trees moving only short distances. It is likely that individuals defend feeding territory, and its use of a forward display[clarification needed] has been described (Riddell 1987). Insects, such as grasshoppers and water bugs, spiders, small fish, crabs, snails and frogs form the main items of the diet. Local populations specialize in grasshoppers and frogs, and can take advantage of seasonal prey availability such as frogs in fishless seasonal pans.
Bittern Dwarf
Dwergreier
The dwarf bittern (Ixobrychus sturmii) is a small species of heron in the family Ardeidae, native to tropical and sub-tropical Africa
Dwarf bittern
Scientific classification e
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Pelecaniformes
Family:Ardeidae
Genus:Ixobrychus
Species:I. sturmii
Binomial name
Ixobrychus sturmii
(Wagler, 1827)
Ixobrychus sturmii
The dwarf bittern (Ixobrychus sturmii) is a small species of heron in the family Ardeidae, native to tropical and sub-tropical Africa.
This is a member of the genus Ixobrychus, which contains many of the smallest herons in the world. Going on reported length, from 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in), this is perhaps the smallest species of heron. The weight is similar to other Ixobrychus species, reportedly from 60 to 150 g (2.1 to 5.3 oz), averaging 75–110 g (2.6–3.9 oz).[4] The wingspan reportedly averages 45 to 50 cm (18 to 20 in). The male has a dark slate grey head and neck, with elongated head and neck feathers. The bill is dark overall, being black to dark green on top and yellow on the lower bill. The lores and orbital skin are blue to yellow green and the irises are red brown to dark red. The back, upper wings and other upper parts are dark slate grey. Its throat and upper breast are pale buff, darkening to tawny on the abdomen, heavily streaked black. The legs and feet are green yellow in front and yellow in back. In courtship legs and feet turn bright orange. The female is paler, with a more rufous tinge on its belly and yellow irises. The immature bird is a more buff and pale version than the adult. It is distinguished from the black bittern of Asia by its striped belly, dark neck tufts, shorter, darker bill and much smaller size. It is distinguished from the green and striated herons by its smaller size and slow flight, its pale and heavily streaked underparts, and its uniform (not barred) upper parts.
he dwarf bittern occurs year-round in much of tropical and sub-tropical Africa, with the most southern habitats only visited during the breeding season. It has been reported from Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
This is a migratory species within Africa, particularly in the north and south. Movements of equatorial birds are less clear. Birds occur in South Africa in the November to April wet season. In the dry season, birds from both north and south the migrate toward the equator (Brown et al. 1982). The species does wander outside its usual range, including further into South Africa (Ingram 1998), the Canary Islands, and France.
Dwarf bitterns feed solitarily or in pairs, hunting by night and, especially if it is cloudy, by day. This it does silently and unobtrusively by standing and by walking slowly. This daily schedule overlaps availability of frogs (Tarboton 1980, Hustler and Williamson 1985). Dwarf bitterns sometimes prefer to sneak through vegetation and reeds rather than climb or perch on them. When disturbed, they stay put at the water's edge in an exaggerated version of the bittern posture or it often fly up into trees moving only short distances. It is likely that individuals defend feeding territory, and its use of a forward display[clarification needed] has been described (Riddell 1987). Insects, such as grasshoppers and water bugs, spiders, small fish, crabs, snails and frogs form the main items of the diet. Local populations specialize in grasshoppers and frogs, and can take advantage of seasonal prey availability such as frogs in fishless seasonal pans.