All birds/Ardeidae/Least Bittern

AI reconstruction created with Nano Banana 2 · 1K, grounded in the profile’s documented taxonomy, habitat, natural-history sources, and an open-license visual reference when available. It is an interpretive image, not documentary evidence. Image policy →

Verified source photographMatt FelperinCC-BY · View source ↗

PRB-0192Pelecaniformes

Least Bittern

Martinetito

Botaurus exilis

Native / natural occurrenceIUCN LC · Least Concern

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.

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FamilyArdeidaeHerons, Egrets, and Bitterns

Puerto Rico occurrenceNative / natural occurrenceAvibase inferred core 380

Primary habitatwetlandsWetland

Primary dietFishAquatic predator

Average mass77.1 gGlobal trait estimate

MovementMigratoryTerrestrial

Island profile

Catalog scopeAvibase inferred core 380

About the Least Bittern

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.

Conservation