I was pleasantly surprised when I spotted for the first time this Little Bittern (Botaurus minutus) whilst visiting a nature area in the Algarve region of Portugal early last spring. Even during the height of their season they’re tough to spot creeping through their prime habitat of marshland and reeds, but when I saw him it was right on the cusp of spring and he must have been one of the first to arrive. These small herons, the smallest in Europe, are not found in the Americas or Oceania but visit central and southern Europe, amongst other areas of the ‘old world’ continent for the spring and summer to nest and raise their chicks. By late summer/early fall they’re heading back to Africa and Asia for the winter, so that’s quite a round trip for these little guys. As with many wildlife species, the biggest threats faced by these birds are predation and loss of habitat – good, fresh reed beds are essential for their nesting.
