Least Bittern

Botaurus exilis (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

The least bittern (Botaurus exilis) is a small heron, the smallest member of the family Ardeidae found in the Americas.

Busiest months: May · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Where and when it's recorded

Least Bittern has been recorded at 721 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 40 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Sweetwater Wetlands ParkUnited States4,310 records
Lake Apopka Wildlife DriveUnited States4,126 records
Green Cay Wetlands & Nature CenterUnited States4,083 records

More places

Jocelyn Nungaray NWR (Anahuac)United States3,556 records
The Celery FieldsUnited States3,351 records
South Padre Is. – WBC/Conv. Center/Laguna Madre TrailUnited States2,951 records
Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water RanchUnited States2,774 records
South Padre Is. – Birding and Nature CenterUnited States2,630 records
IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, IrvineUnited States2,532 records
Parker River NWRUnited States2,516 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Canada Mexico Puerto Rico Belize Peru Costa Rica Cayman Islands

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The least bittern (Botaurus exilis) is a small heron, the smallest member of the family Ardeidae found in the Americas. This species was formerly placed in the genus Ixobrychus.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

Where does the Least Bittern live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America, South America: eastern, southwestern USA to southeastern Brazil. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.