Least Bittern Photo Gallery
Adult male
Small heron with a long, pointed yellow bill and hunchbacked appearance. Males have a dark green, almost black crown and back. Neck is striped chestnut and white.
© Myles McNally / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, June 28, 2018Adult female
Small heron with a long, pointed yellow bill and hunchbacked appearance. Females have a dark brown back and crown.
© Brad Imhoff / Macaulay LibraryOhio, May 15, 2020Adult male
Flies with neck tucked and feet trailing behind. Flight feathers are dark.
© Jonah Benningfield / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, July 06, 2018Juvenile
Juveniles look like females, but with a paler and browner crown and back and bolder stripes on the neck.
© Roy Chatburn / Macaulay LibraryOntario, September 20, 2020Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns(Order: Pelecaniformes, Family: Ardeidae)
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