Yellow Bittern

Yellow Bitterns ( Ixobrychus sinensis 黃葦鳽) are small ardeid with yellow bill and legs. They have black cap and flight feathers and their belly are light brown.

Reed marsh is their ideal habitat. They often build nests inside reed marsh using reeds as the raw material, it is hard to find them. Its light brown feathers act as a perfect camouflage, when it stands still among the reeds.

I was lucky that I saw this yellow bittern striding slowly amid the lotus stalks in the upper lotus pond in the Shing Mun Valley Park, Tai Wo Hau a few days ago.