Fun Cinnamon Bittern Facts For Kids

The Cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) or commonly known as the chestnut bittern is a member of the order Pelecaniformes (family Ardeidae). The bird was originally known as zimtdommel when it was first discovered by Gmelin in the year 1789. Zimtdommel is basically a German name for this Asia-Pacific resident brown bird. It belongs to the range from East China in the north to Sri Lanka in the south. The tropical habitat and freshwater along with wetlands attract the birds. The range from east china to south china is home to these birds. During the breeding season, few birds can be seen near the Maldives as well as near the islands of Andaman and Nicobar. Margins or the barriers of freshwater bodies like lakes and pools are inhabited by these birds. The distribution can also be spotted in lowlands which could be as low as 2952 ft (900 m) covered in marshes and rice fields. The field can be scrubby as well as filled with marshes like mangroves as well.

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What type of animal is a cinnamon bittern?

The cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) of the order Pelecaniformes is a bird. Apart from the order Pelecaniformes, (family- Ardeidae) the birds belong to the Ixobrychus genus.

What class of animal does a cinnamon bittern belong to?

The cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) of the order Pelecaniformes, (family- Ardeidae) belongs to the Aves class of animals. The species belong to the Animalia kingdom with the Chordata phylum.

How many cinnamon bitterns are there in the world?

Discovered in 1789 by Gmelin, the cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) is listed under the Least Concern status by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Considering that this cinnamon bittern bird is of Least Concern at the moment, the exact population and the distribution of the birds may range from 130,000-2,000,000 birds as of now including the freshwater marshes and the wetlands of the tropical first of Asia.

Where does a cinnamon bittern live?

The cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus), or the chestnut bittern, is mainly an Indian subcontinent resident but some northern birds have been noticed recently as well. Having its origin in Asia, this bird can be seen in countries like Indonesia, Micronesia, Seychelles, and Afghanistan. Towards South Asia, the bird can be seen in the Range of countries which have short distances among themselves. The cinnamon bittern range map may include countries would be Sri Lanks, India, Bangladesh, Sulawesi, and the Philippines.

What is a cinnamon bittern's habitat?

The cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) is found to be living in the tropical habitat. This buff-colored bird is fond of the wetlands and is mostly spotted near the swampy marshes and the freshwater shores. The cinnamon bittern habitat includes interaction with the human as they are found in the human inhabitant areas. Grassy plains or wetlands like the paddy field are home to this species.

Who do cinnamon bitterns live with?

Like a heron, the cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) bird is known to live in small groups. Although there could be less contact among the groups, they seem to communicate the most during the breeding season.

How long does a cinnamon bittern live?

The 16.1 in (41 cm) long cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) is a rufous and buff-colored bird of Asia. Although they do not fall under endangered status the exact lifespan of life expectancy of the bird is not known to the scientific researchers as of now.

How do they reproduce?

Cinnamon bitterns (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) are known to migrate during the breeding season. They create the nest on the ground, near the field, or on a grassy plain. The female lays two to six eggs and guard the eggs while the male search for food. The incubation lasts 23 days until the birth of the juvenile. The juvenile is of yellowish color with yellow eyes and green plumage. During the breeding season, the pairs are found to be alone mostly feeding and nurturing the juvenile.

What is their conservation status?

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the conservation status of the cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) bird is listed under the Least Concern category. Considering this fact, it was stated that there has been stable growth in the population of this brown species. Hence, the chestnut bittern does not fall under the probability of being endangered at the moment.

What do cinnamon bitterns look like?

Although the cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) belongs to the same family as a heron, looks completely different from a heron. With a length of 16.6 in (41 cm), the description states the bird to be short with even color coordination of rufous and brown throughout the body. One main identification is the black crown with cinnamon wings and gray plumage. Although the major identification is the bill and the neck is dark brown. The neck has a dark brown streaked pattern which is darker in males. The female bill is shorter than the male bill, the shade of the neck remaining alike.

How cute are they?

Needless to say, the cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) is extremely cute by appearance, just like a hummingbird. The brown shade along with a black crown and a cinnamon-shaded pair of wings give them a sober and sophisticated look.

How do they communicate?

Unlike a heron, the cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) has a range when it comes to communication. Based on wildlife systematics, they have a 'Kwok-Kwok-Kwok-Kwok' call to either defend the nest or to search for one. The systematics states that during the breeding season, a 'Kok' or 'geg' sound is heard which is mostly repetitive in nature. In case of alarming a danger a shrill 'kwe, kwe' call is emitted by the rufous colored bird.

How big is a cinnamon bittern?

The cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) has an average weight of around 0.2- 0.4 lb (89·5–164 g). These birds are pretty small but are almost of the same size as a blongios. Blongios have an average weight of around 0.1-0.3 lb (59–150 g). But the bitterns are double the size of a blongios in terms of length. The cinnamon bittern has a length of around 15.7-16.1 in (40–41 cm) whereas the blongios have an average length of around 9.8-14.1 in (25 – 36 cm).

How fast can a cinnamon bittern fly?

Cinnamon bitterns (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) are known to be great fliers. They have a pair of short and strong wings. The cinnamon bittern flying is determined by the average wingspan of around 19.6 in (50cm).

How much does a cinnamon bittern weigh?

Discovered by a researcher named Gmelin in 1789, cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) is a small bird with an average weight of around 0.2- 0.4 lb (89·5–164 g). It weighs almost as much as a rufous hummingbird.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) male is termed as a cock while the female is termed as a hen.

What would you call a baby cinnamon bittern?

A cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) baby is usually termed as a juvenile or a chick.

What do they eat?

The cinnamon bittern's diet includes invertebrates of the freshwater as well as from the land. They mostly feed on small fishes, frogs, and mollusks from the water whereas the insects, reptiles, and worms from the land are food to the species. The juvenile is seen to be feeding on small worms and insects till the time they are independent.

Are they poisonous?

There has been no information regarding the cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) being poisonous or harmful to other species of birds like hawks.

Would they make a good pet?

Since the cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) is a species of the wild, it is advised to not keep the birds as a pet.

Did you know...

Cinnamon bitterns (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) are known to have a population of around 1070 in Sulawesi until January 1990.

Cinnamon bitterns (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) are most active during dusk and dawn.

Do cinnamon bitterns migrate?

Cinnamon bitterns (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) are known to migrate during the breeding season. During this time the species generally migrate towards the south of the Asian continent from the north or east. The reason is to find a warmer place for the juvenile to feed and nurture.

How did cinnamon bitterns get their name?

Belonging to the Ixobrychus genus, the cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) has got its name due to the color of its body. The entire length of the body is covered with a buff or rufous hue giving it a cinnamon-like shade. To coordinate with the physical description, the bird was named cinnamon bitter.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our eastern kingbird facts and American bittern facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bird coloring pages.

Main image by Shabbosachi Das.

Second image by Imran Shah.