ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Least Bittern

Least Bittern

Photo by Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery

Least bitterns are easier to hear than see; heading to an appropriate marsh after dark is the way to locate them, as they often sing nocturnally. The calls are suggestive of a cuckoo, at least from afar.

Listen

Least Bittern

Ixobrychus exilis

At-a-Glance

• Incubation: 19-20 days

• Clutch Size: 3-6 eggs

• Young Fledge: 25 days after hatching

• Typical Foods: aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, and fish

• Ohio Status: Threatened

Description
This little heron has a black back and cap. The wing patches and underparts are buffy in color. Females are similar, but duller in color.

Habitat and Habits
Of the regularly breeding Ohio marsh birds, this is one of the most secretive. They hide in dense emergent marshes, particularly where there are thick cattail stands.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
Nests are platforms made of dead cattails and reeds and usually hidden in vegetation. Least bitterns may raise two broods in one season.