Least Bittern
Ixobrychus exilis (Gmelin, 1789)
Euring code not available.
Family: Pelecaniformes > Ardeidae
Least Bittern is a very rare vagrant to the UK, first recorded on Shetland in 2022. Least Bitterns are superficially similar to Little Bitterns but breed in North America and Mexico. They are highly migratory, wintering in central and south America. Previous vagrants have occured on the Azores and in Ireland.
Select a topic for more facts and statistics about the Least Bittern
BTO RECORDS
BTO RECORDS
Identification
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Population size and trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO surveys and atlases with data collected by BTO volunteers.
CONSERVATION STATUS
This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.
| IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global) |
Least Concern 
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| Schedule 1 license required (to disturb) | No |
POPULATION SIZE
We have no population estimates for this scarce species.
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First Record
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Shetland, 2022 |
Movement
Information about movement and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.
RINGING RECOVERIES
View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.
Biology
Lifecycle and body size information about Least Bittern, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.
PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING
Sample sizes are too small to report Productivity and Nesting statistics for this species.
CODES & CLASSIFICATION
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Field Codes
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5-letter code: | Euring: |
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Links to more information from ConservationEvidence.com
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