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Species › Birds

Little Bittern

Ixobrychus minutus

Order
Pelecaniformes
Family
Ardeidae
Presence in the Strait
Seasonal
Abundance
scarce
Protection in Spain
Special protection (List)
In Spanish
Avetorillo común

Photograph: Carles Pastor, CC BY-SA, vía iNaturalist

Length
33–38 cm
Wingspan
52–58 cm
Weight
145 g
0204060LENGTH33–38 cmWINGSPAN52–58 cmcentimetres

Presence in the Strait

Scarce summer visitor found in areas of reedbeds. Wintering birds have been seen over recent years. Extincs as a breedeeer when La Janda dried out but started again at the beginning of the ´90s at the River Guadiaro estuary and La Janda.

Identification

The smallest heron, with highly contrasting plumage. In flight, large buff-white wing-patches. Juvenileshave cryptic plumage, similar to the Eurasian Bittern.

Movements

Migrant with peaks in the 2nd hf. of April and August.

Bioestrecho editorial text. Last revised: 8 September 2026.

Gallery

Photographs from iNaturalist observations with the licence checked file by file. Those marked “Strait” were taken within the area; place and date are those of each observation.