Rolf Nussbaumer / Least bittern {Ixobrychus exilus} male perching between reeds, Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton, Texas, USA, May 2005

Rolf Nussbaumer / Little bittern, male in reeds {Ixobrychus minutus} Samos, Greece.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Widstrand / Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) amidst reeds, Danube delta rewilding area, Romania, June

Neil Aldridge / Dwarf Bittern (Ixobrychus sturmii) hunting amongst waterside vegetation, Mapungubwe National Park, Limpopo Province, South Africa. January 2009

Neil Aldridge / Dwarf Bittern (Ixobrychus sturmii) hunting for food amongst waterside vegetation, Mapungubwe National Park, Limpopo Province, South Africa. January 2009.

Barry Mansell / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) perched on reeds, Everglades National Park, South Florida, USA, May

Barry Mansell / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), adult perched on reeds, Everglades NP, South Florida, USA, May

Michel Poinsignon / Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) perched on branch in reeds, Remerschen, Luxembourg, June.

Ann & Steve Toon / Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), Intaka Island wetland centre, Cape Town, South Africa, February

Robin Chittenden / Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) Lesvos, Lesbos, Greece, April

Donald M. Jones / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) in bullrushes, Florida

Donald M. Jones / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) in bullrushes, Florida

Donald M. Jones / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) walking on floating cattails, Florida

Barry Mansell / Least bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) male perched on vegetation, South Florida, USA, May

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Little bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} adult with fish, Oman, June

Rolf Nussbaumer / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilus) climbing through reeds, Fennessey Ranch, Refugio, Coastal Bend, Texas Coast, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) adult walking on Water Lettuce, Fennessey Ranch, Refugio, Coastal Bend, Texas Coast, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilus) in profile amongst reeds, Fennessey Ranch, Refugio, Coastal Bend, Texas Coast, USA

Marie Read / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) male catching fish, Viera, Florida, USA

David Kjaer / Little bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} female at water's edge, Lesbos, Greece

Michel Poinsignon / Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) hidden amongst reeds, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) perched amongst reeds, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Little bittern immature (Ixobrychus minutus) flying, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Little bittern chick (Ixobrychus minutus) perched on branch calling, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Little bittern immature (Ixobrychus minutus) fishing, Lorraine, France

Rolf Nussbaumer / Female Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) hunting in wetland, Samos, Greek Island, Greece. May 2000

Bernard Castelein / Portrait of Chinese little / Yellow bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis), Keoladeo Ghana NP, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India

Tom Vezo / Least bittern {Ixobrychus exilus} perching in reed bed, Texas, USA

Tom Vezo / Least bittern {Ixobrychus exilus} perching amongst vegetation, Texas, USA.

Mike Wilkes / Least bittern {Ixobrychus exilus} in reedbed, Texas, USA

Mike Wilkes / Least bittern {Lxobrychus exilis} fishing in reed bed, Texas, USA

Jose B. Ruiz / Little bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} Alicante, Spain

Pete Oxford / Chinese little / yellow bittern {Ixobrychus sinensis} wading, Asia

George McCarthy / Little Bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} crossing river, Lesvos, Greece

Artur Tabor / Little Bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} pair on nest, Bierbrzanski NP, Poland

George McCarthy / Little Bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} with aquatic prey, Lesvos, Greece

George McCarthy / Little Bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} with frog prey, Lesvos, Greece

George McCarthy / Little Bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} Lesvos, Greece

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Little Bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} adult with fish in beak, Khor Swali, Oman.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Immature Little bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} walking along Lily pads, Muscat, Oman.

Pete Oxford / Chinese Little Bittern {Ixobrychus sinesis} with predated fish, Mahe Island, Seychelles.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Least bittern {Ixobrychus exilus} female, Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton, Texas, USA.

Angelo Gandolfi / Little bittern male with chicks River Po, Italy {Ixobrychus minutus}

Angelo Gandolfi / Little bittern chicks alarm behaviour. River Po, Italy {Ixobrychus minutus} c

Angelo Gandolfi / Little bittern chicks in nest. River Po, Italy {Ixobrychus minutus}

Angelo Gandolfi / Little bittern female +and chick beak holding, begging food. River Po, Italy {Ixobrychus minutus}

Angelo Gandolfi / Little bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} with chicks showing alarm behaviour. River Po, Italy

Artur Tabor / Little bittern regurgitating fish for chicks {Ixobrychus minutus} Poland

Artur Tabor / Little bittern {Ixobrychus minutus} with chicks, Poland.

Barry Mansell / Least bittern with chick and egg at nest {Ixobrychus exilus} Florida, USA.

Tom Vezo / Least bittern {Ixobrychus exilus} Texas, USA

Tom Vezo / Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) among wetland plants, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

Flip de Nooyer / Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) gripping two separate reeds, Europe

Bernard Castelein / Black bittern {Ixobrychus flavicollis} Keoladeo Ghana NP, India Bharatpur

Pete Oxford / Chinese little bittern on pond. {Ixobrychus sinensis} Mahe Island, Seychelles Baie Lazare

David Cottridge / Little bittern fishing {Ixobrychus minutus} Lesbos, Greece

Tom Vezo / Least bittern {Ixobrychus exilus} Texas, USA.

David Kjaer / Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) female. Greece, Europe

Paul Hobson / Little bittern male {Ixobrychus minutus} Lesvos, Greece

Robin Chittenden / Juvenile Little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) Danube Delta, Romania, August