Black Bittern
Botaurus flavicollis
Medium-sized heron of forested and vegetated wetlands, ponds, and lakes. All ages and plumages have dark upperparts and orange, yellow, and reddish striping on the neck and breast. Female and immature average browner with weaker contrast than males. Typically hides and hunts in vegetation similar to other bitterns but occasionally perches visibly on trees and bushes.
Identification
It is a fairly large species at 58 cm (23 in) in length, being by some margin the largest bittern in the genus Ixobrychus. Compared to related species, it has a longish neck and long yellow bill. The adult is uniformly black above, with yellow neck sides. It is whitish below, heavily streaked with brown. The juvenile is like the adult, but dark brown rather than black. They can be difficult to see, given their skulking lifestyle and reed bed habitat, but tend to fly fairly frequently when the all black upperparts makes them unmistakable.
Taxonomy
Genus: Botaurus; Family: Ardeidae; Order: Pelecaniformes.
- Scientific name
- Botaurus flavicollis
- Authority
- (Latham, 1790)
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Genus
- Botaurus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Spiffy warbler found in boggy areas. Blue-gray above and yellow below with distinctive yellow spectacles and necklace of black streaks. Legs are pale orange. Females show fainter necklace than males. Typically found in low vegetation, especially wet woods and thickets. Nests on the ground. Feeds on insects. One of the longest-distance migrant warblers; winters in South America.
Yellowish Pipit
Anthus chii
Rather dull buffy ground-dwelling bird with a large but disjunct range from Panama to Argentina. Streaky brown above and paler below with a streaked breast and plain belly. Note long pinkish legs and white outer tail feathers. Found in any flat open habitat including savannah, agricultural areas, and desert. Most often seen on the ground, occasionally perched up on a small shrub or fence. The only pipit in most of its range. Listen for the distinctive song, a few tick notes followed by a long descending buzzy “tzeeeeeeew,” often given in flight.
Ranongga White-eye
Zosterops splendidus
Small. Olive-green above and banana-yellow below and on throat. Chest smudged olive. Has a bold white eye-ring and a black patch on the face from the eye forward. Found in most forest, scrub, and garden habitats. Song consists of around nine up- or downslurred notes. Call is a strong, two-syllabled “che-u.”
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