Black Bittern

Ixobrychus flavicollis

Size: 55-65 cm.

Sooty black bittern with yellow on the side of the neck and white streaking on the throat. Female duller, dark brown and juvenile similar. Eye yellow and legs dark, bill dark.

Summer visitor which leave the area by April

Very secretive bird, usually singly. Feeds under the shadows of vegetation for fish and frogs. When disturbed, runs or creeps along branches or will freeze with bill pointed high as a disguise to resemble reeds.

Habitat: mangroves, dense vegetation of creeks and swamps.

Breeds: Sept-March. Untidy nest of sticks on horizontal branch above the water. Up to 5 eggs.

Moderately common on the Daintree River and paperbark swamps in the summer months.

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