Ixobrychus minutus
The Little Bittern is the smallest member of the Ardeidae family in Europe. It is an extremely secretive bird that spends most of its time inside dense reed beds. Although abundant in the Danube Delta, it is rarely observed, usually only when flying short distances between two areas of vegetation.
It shows pronounced sexual dimorphism, rare among other herons. The male has a black-greenish crown and back with glossy reflections, while the female has duller plumage in brown-coffee shades with streaks. Its small stature and neck that can be fully retracted allow it to camouflage perfectly among vertical reeds.
It prefers areas with young reed beds, cattails and flooded willows. It is a migratory species that arrives late, in May, and departs for Africa in August–September. In the Delta, it occupies almost any area with emergent vegetation and shallow water.
When threatened, it adopts the "bittern pose" – stretches vertically with bill raised, becoming almost invisible among reeds. It hunts insects, larvae and small fish, moving agilely through reeds by grasping stems with its long toes.
It nests solitarily or in small groups, building a nest from reeds and reed stems, usually placed above water in dense vegetation. The female lays 4–6 eggs. Chicks are fed by both parents and become independent after a few weeks.
Classified as "Least Concern" (LC). The main threat is habitat loss through uncontrolled reed burning or drainage, though the population in the Danube Delta remains one of the healthiest in Europe.