The Little Bittern, a new species in the river estuary

29 May 2011

 
Photograph of a Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)This morning, three volunteers from Fragas do Mandeo watched with great satisfaction a Little Bittern in the Betanzos estuary. And for good reason: as far as we know it is the first observation of the species in this protected area.

The low tide was early in the morning, so the Little Bittern had to leave the shelter of the reedbed of A Cangrexeira and approach the water’s edge to fish. With its slow movement and its beautiful ochre-coloured plumage, nobody would notice it among the reeds, which it rarely leaves. It advanced in a cat-like manner, pausing every few minutes to pose like a statue, while scanning the water. Suddenly, his beak would dart down, harpoon-like, at some small fish: he would not usually fail. The sunny day, the open place where it stood and the long time it let us watch made the observation a pleasure.

The Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) is called “garza pequena” in Galician because it is the smallest species among the family Ardeidae in Galicia. Unlike herons and egrets, which are easily visible, Little Bitterns are very difficult to watch because of the characteristics of their habitat, their secretive habits, cryptic colour and crepuscular activity. Although it has a worldwide distribution, it is not abundant and its numbers seem to be decreasing. In the case of Galicia, the breeding population is estimated to be no more than two dozen pairs, so it is very important to maintain their habitat and avoid disturbing them deliberately.

Photograph of the Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)Virtually every weekend, volunteers from Fragas do Mandeo go to the Betanzos estuary to census waterfowl. Counting and close scrutiny allow the detection of population fluctuations and the presence of new species. Thus, in recent years, Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica) and Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) have been recorded as breeding species. It has also allowed observation of infrequent passage species, such as Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) or Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) in their juvenile dispersal period.

This observation of an adult female Little Bittern in late May opens new questions. Does it have a mate? Is it breeding in the estuary? Being a summer bird, what part of Africa might it migrate to in winter?

If you feel curious, go to the port of Betanzos and at its northern end you will find a great place for observation. If you don’t see the Little Bittern, at least you can enjoy the view of other waterfowl such as the Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus).


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