Bittern and Gallinule

I was able to photograph two marsh birds together that are rather hard to spot even on their own. They are fairly common but often stay somewhat hidden. The Bittern, for example, can be hidden in plain sight due to its ability to blend in with the reeds and vegetation. This was a very opportune sighting since both birds were readily visible and active. And they were in close proximity at one point. The bird on the left is a young Common Gallinule and the one on the right is a Least Bittern.

The Common Gallinule, formerly known as the Common Moorhen, has a bit of a chicken look. Their large feet allow them to walk on the vegetation like all rails. The feet aren’t webbed but they swim quite well. They feed on aquatic plants, snails and other invertebrates. This youngster is standing on some reeds and watching the Bittern. The adults look much the same but have a bright red beak and forehead.

Least Bitterns are stealthy stalkers of small fish and just about any other small aquatic creature they can find. Their neck is very long when they extend it and they can spear their prey from a fair distance. They also extend their neck upwards when alarmed in order to blend in with the reeds. They can be very hard to find as a result.