1.0Swiss Ornithological Institutehttps://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="ZakzHtDV52"><a href="https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds-of-switzerland/little-bittern/">Little Bittern</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds-of-switzerland/little-bittern/embed/#?secret=ZakzHtDV52" width="600" height="338" title="“Little Bittern” — Swiss Ornithological Institute" data-secret="ZakzHtDV52" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://www.vogelwarte.ch/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> https://www.vogelwarte.ch/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/470_1.jpg16001200The Common Little Bittern inhabits lakeshores, ponds or oxbow lakes that are densely fringed with reeds and bulrushes, and generally remains unobserved. It mostly keeps to the edges of reedbeds and makes use of its camouflaging plumage. This smallest European heron skilfully climbs to the tops of reeds and is most likely to be seen in flight. At dusk and during the night, the males emit monotonous, regularly repeated mating calls which are difficult to detect in the frog chorus.