Herons and Bitterns 



In the air the bittern still moves slowly, and with a tropical 

 languor flaps its large, broad wings, and trails its legs behind, 

 to act as a rudder as it flies close above the tops of the sedges. 

 When a longer journey than from one part of the marsh to 

 another must be made, the solitary traveller mounts high by 

 describing circles; and, secure under the cover of darkness, makes 

 bold and long excursions. It is only in the nesting season that 

 we find these birds in couples. Then neither one is ever far 

 away from the rude grassy nest that holds from three to five 

 pale olive buff eggs hidden among the sedges, on the ground, in 

 a marsh. There are those who assert that young bitterns are 

 good food. 



Least Bittern 



(Ardetta exilis) 



Called also: TORTOISE-SHELL BIRD; LITTLE BITTERN; 

 FLY-UP-THE-CREEK 



Length — 13 inches. 



Male — Subcrested ; top of head, back, and tail black, with green 

 reflections; back of neck and sides of head brownish red, 

 also wings, coverts, and edges of some quills ; throat 

 whitish, shading into buff on under parts; the deepest shade, 

 almost a yellow-brown, on sides; much buff on wings. 

 Bill, eyes, and feet yellow ; legs long and greenish. 



Female — Similar to male, but chestnut above, and the darker 

 under parts are lightly streaked with dark brown. 



Range — Throughout temperate North America, nesting from 

 Maine and the British Provinces southward ; winters from 

 Gulf states to West Indies and Brazil ; less common west of 

 the Rocky Mountains, but found on the Pacific coast to north- 

 ern California. 



Season — Summer resident. 



The smallest member of a family of waders noted for their 

 large size, the least bittern brings down their average consider- 

 ably ; for it is only about a foot long, a quarter the length of the 

 next species. Fresh-water marshes, inaccessible swamps, boggy 

 lands, and sedgy ponds are where these secretive little birds 

 hide, with rails and marsh wrens, gallinules, bobolinks, red- 

 winged blackbirds, and swamp song sparrows for neighbors 



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