Little bittern

    Ixobrychus minutus

Castilian: Avetorillo común

Catalan: Martinet menut

Gallego: Garza pequena

Euskera: Amiltxori txikia

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Ciconiiformes

Family: Ardeidae

Migratory status: Summer resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category.

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THREATS

Due to the lack of information that exists about this species, it is thought that droughts, food shortages and death by unnatural causes could affect it.

Length / size: 33-38 cm / 52-58 cm

Identification: It is the smallest heron. The male's back, nape and crown are black, and his flanks are cream-coloured; the female has less contrast and is brownish. They both have yellowish bills and show the ochre-coloured spots on their wings when in flight.

Song: It sings mostly at night. It makes honking noises, "ghruog", that are repeated slowly.

Diet: It feeds on fish, small reptiles, amphibians, and insects that it catches while hiding in vegetation.

Reproduction: It breeds in isolation or in small groups with relatively little interaction between members. The male builds the nest, a compact formation of branches and stalks which it places above the water among thick masses of cat's-tails, reeds, etc. Both sexes are responsible for incubation and, after hatching, the chicks are capable of climbing branches in less than a week.

HABITAT

It occupies wet areas with abundant reed beds that allow it to nest.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is distributed throughout almost the entire peninsula, the Balearic and Canary Islands, but it is not present in Ceuta or Melilla. It is concentrated in principal river valleys (Guadalquivir, Guadiana, Tajo and Ebro) and in Levante.

In Castile and León: It is unevenly distributed throughout all the provinces, with the most abundant populations in León, Burgos and Salamanca.

Movements and migrations: They appear between April and September in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands. Migration of European specimens to the peninsula between August and September has also been observed, in which juveniles born in Iberia also participate.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of at least 1900-2300 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: There is an estimated minimum population of 75-120 breeding pairs.