324 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 
COMMON BITTERN 
Botaurus stellaris (Linneus) 
Owing to drainage and cultivation, the Bittern, which used 
formerly to breed in various swamps and reed-beds, especially 
in our eastern counties, is now only a casual visitor to the 
British Isles in winter and spring. 
In the breeding season it utters a loud ‘Sheoming” ’ noise, 
but at other times is a very silent bird. 
The adult has the upper parts more or less buff, irregularly 
barred and streaked all over with brown and dark brown, 
except on the head, which is pure black; rest of plumage 
streaked and marked with chestnut buff and brown; bill 
greenish yellow; legs and feet greenish. Sexes and young 
are alike in plumage. Length from 25 to 28 in. ; wing 13 in. 
LITTLE BITTERN 
Ardetta minuta (Linneus) 
This species is abundant in summer throughout Central 
and Southern Europe, migrating to Africa for the winter 
months. It is a spring and autumn migrant to the British 
Islands and a casual visitor to Northern Europe. It is 
frequently found in our eastern and southern counties, and 
there is little doubt that it has on more than one occasion 
stayed to breed. It inhabits thick reed-beds, and when dis- 
turbed either creeps away with great speed through the 
vegetation or remains motionless with head erect, in which 
position it closely resembles the reeds. 
The male has the crown, nape, back, shoulders, and tail 
feathers glossy greenish black, the rest of the plumage buff 
streaked with brownish on some of the feathers at side of 
chest and flanks, and paler on the wing-coverts. The female 
has the crown, nape, and back brown. The young resemble 
the female. Length from 12 to 13 in. ; wing 6 in. 
