Ixobrychus
| Ixobrychus | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Pelecaniformes |
| Family: | Ardeidae |
| Subfamily: | Botaurinae |
| Genus: | Ixobrychus Billberg, 1828 |
| Species | |
|
See text. | |
Ixobrychus is a genus of bitterns, a group of wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae. Ixobrychus is from Ancient Greek ixias, a reed-like plant and brukhomai, to bellow.[1]
It has a single representative species in each of North America, South America, Eurasia, and Australasia. The tropical species are largely resident, but the two northern species are partially migratory, with many birds moving south to warmer areas in winter.
The Ixobrychus bitterns are all small species, with their four larger relatives being in the genus Botaurus. They breed in large reedbeds, and can often be difficult to observe except for occasional flight views due to their secretive behaviour. Like other bitterns, they eat fish, frogs, and similar aquatic life.
Species
- Little bittern, I. minutus
- Black-backed bittern, I. dubius
- New Zealand bittern, I. novaezelandiae (extinct)
- Cinnamon bittern, I. cinnamomeus
- Stripe-backed bittern, I. involucris
- Least bittern, I. exilis
- Yellow bittern, I. sinensis
- Von Schrenck's bittern, I. eurhythmus
- Dwarf bittern, I. sturmii
- Black bittern, I. flavicollis