Least Bittern Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesLeast Bittern
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, 2020Similar SpeciesAmerican Bittern
Adult/immature
American Bittern is much larger than Least Bittern. American Bittern stands in wetland marshes, whereas Least Bittern typically clings to marsh vegetation.
© Tim Lenz / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, October 11, 2009Similar SpeciesGreen Heron
Adult
The back and wings on Green Heron are uniform greenish, whereas Least Bittern has straw-colored wings that contrast with a darker back. Green Heron has a chestnut neck unlike the Least Bittern's straw-colored neck.
© Simon Best / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, May 12, 2017Similar SpeciesGreen Heron
Juvenile
Juvenile Green Heron has a chestnut neck and spotting on their wings, whereas Least Bitterns has a straw-colored neck and unspotted wings. Green Heron is larger than Least Bittern.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, August 11, 2017Similar SpeciesBlack-crowned Night Heron
Juvenile
Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron is much larger than Least Bittern with a thicker bill.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, August 19, 2016Similar SpeciesYellow-crowned Night Heron
Juvenile
Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron is larger than Least Bittern with a thicker bill. The night heron also has more streaking and spotting on the back than Least Bittern.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, July 25, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns(Order: Pelecaniformes, Family: Ardeidae)
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.