Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Ixobrychus ("reed like plant") sinensis ("of China")

Adult female Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis) at Prek Toal, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 94g  /  Length: 36-38cm  /  Wingspan: 45-53cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

While Europe has only a pair of very easy to differentiate bitterns, South-East Asia has a whole range of birds which co-exist, often in the same habitats.  Out of these, the Yellow Bittern is one of the smaller ones and can be found in a range of wetland habitats ranging from parks right the way up to great marshland.  It is however secretive, and while I did see numerous small bitterns bursting from cover, this was the only one of the whole lot that I was able to photograph.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ixobrychus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer Name: កុកសំបកត្រពាំង

A scarce, localised resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: One at Prek Toal

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)

OTHER NAMES: Little Bittern

Latin Etymology: Ixobrychus ("reed like plant") minutus ("little")

                                           Adult Common Little Bittern (subspecies I. m. minutus) at El Pardo, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: Ixobrychus minutus minutus

Weight: 59-150g  /  Length: 25-36cm  /  Wingspan: 40-58cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Common Little Bittern is easily the smallest member of the Heron Family found in Europe - my first glimpse of this species flying away from me up a river and my first thought was some species of crake until I saw it's face.  They are a secretive species, yet seemingly not so much as the great Bittern, and their smaller size allows them to be present in smaller reed-beds than it's relative could hide in.  At El Pardo I saw my first individual which was fairly showy in that it stayed in the open for an extended amount of time once it had landed - I saw far more at Arrocampo reserve near Monfrague National Park, but these individuals were really only seen in transit from one reed-bed to the next.

Related Species: 
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ixobrychus
Subspecies: I. m. minutus, I. m. payesii, I. m. podiceps

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Avetorillo común ("Common Bittern")

Locally common resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen in small numbers at El Pardo (one or two birds seen) and Arrocampo (at least 2 individuals)

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .