Ixobrychus minutus

Conservation status: 

Not Threatened.

Diagnostic description: 

The smallest specimens are perhaps the smallest herons on earth. It has a short neck, longish bill and buff underparts. The male's back and crown are black, and the wings are black with a large white patch on each wing. The female has a browner back and a buff-brown wing patch.

Behaviour: 

Size: 

27–36 cm length, 40–58 cm wingspan, 60-150 g weight

Phylogeny: 

Taxonomy:

    Ardea minuta Linnaeus, 1766, Switzerland. Forms superspecies with I. exilis and I. sinensis. Race novaezelandiae often considered separate species, but very little known and now probably extinct (cause unknown); payesii and podiceps have been treated as two further species. Five subspecies normally recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution: 

Subspecies and Distribution:

    *minutus (Linnaeus, 1766) - C & S Europe and N Africa E to W Siberia and through Iran to NE India; winters Africa to India. *payesii (Hartlaub, 1858) - Africa S of Sahara.*podiceps (Bonaparte, 1855) - Madagascar. *novaezelandiae (Potts, 1871) - South I, New Zealand (probably extinct). *dubius Mathews, 1912 - SW & E Australia; S New Guinea.
Habitat: 

Breeds in reedbeds around lakes, dykes and fishponds. From lowland up to 1500 m. During winter and migration occurs in more open waters.

Trophic strategy: 

Varies with season and region. unting small fish, frogs and invertebrates (mainly).

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith