THE BIRD BOOK 



191. Least Bittern. Ixobrychus exilis. 



Range. — Common throughout the United States, 

 especially in the eastern part, and in the southern 

 British provinces. 



This small variety of Bittern is very common 

 in the southern portions of the United States, but 

 less so and locally distributed in the northern 

 portions of its range. They are very quiet and 

 sly birds, and their presence is often unsuspected 

 when they are really quite abundant. When ap- 

 proached, they will re- 

 main perfectly quiet, with 

 the body erect and the 

 head and neck pointed 



skyward, in which posi- \ 



tion their yellowish ) 



brown plumage strongly 

 resembles the rushes 

 among which they are 

 found. Their nests are 

 made of strips of rushes 

 woven about upright 

 stalks, generally over water. They lay from 

 three to five eggs of a pale bluish white color. 

 Size 1.20 x .90. Data.— Avery's Island, La., May 1, 

 1896. Four eggs. Nest of strips of rushes woven 

 together to form a platform and fastened to saw 

 grass growing on the bank of a stream. Collector, 

 E. A. Mcllhenny. 



Pale bluish gray 



191-1 • Cory's Least Bittern. Ixobrychus 



CPr\ 



neoxenus. 



Least Bittern 



Cory's Least Bittern 



This rare species, of which about twenty speci- 

 mens are known is probably resident in Florida, 

 wandering north in the summer, specimens hav- 

 ing been taken in Ontario, Canada, and in several 

 localities in eastern United States. It is very different from the Least Bittern, 

 having a more uniform chestnut coloration, especially on the under parts. It is 

 twelve inches in length. Mr. C. W. Crandall has a set of five eggs of this 

 species, taken on the Caloosahatchee River, Fla., April 15, 1891, by S. B. Ladd. 

 nest was made of grasses and rushes placed in the cane two feet above the 

 water. 



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