(Credit: U. S. Geological Survey)

Least Bittern - Ixobrychus exilis

Identification Tips:

  1. Length: 11 inches Wingspan: 17 inches
  2. Very small wading bird
  3. Buff face and sides to the neck
  4. White chin, throat, foreneck and belly
  5. Buff wing coverts visible in flight and at rest

Adult male:

  1. Black cap
  2. Black back
  3. Fairly faint brown streaks on fore-neck

Adult female:

  1. Brown cap
  2. Brown back
  3. More obvious brown streaks on fore-neck

Juvenile:

  1. Buff cap does not contrast with face
  2. Blackish streaks on foreneck
  3. Brown back

Similar species:

Green Heron lacks buff color to head and wings. All other herons are much larger.