Former Airline Captain of B747, Miranda Collett, switched career in 2010 to become a wildlife conservationist, purchasing a former cattle ranch in NE Argentina.
We have the Stripe-backed Bittern at our reserve but it is less than common than the similar Least Bittern. These birds are in the family Ardeidae and are found in wetlands where there are rushes. We have a lot of suitable habitat at Reserva Don Luis.
At 28cm it is slightly larger than its cousin, the Least Bittern, but it is superficially similar. The main difference is that the Stripe-backed Bittern has a striped back of black, white and brown and it has a black stripe through the middle of the crown. The wings are streaked pale brown.
It has a yellow iris and yellowish/green legs. The bill is yellow with green tinges. Underparts are white with pale brown stripes.
