Heron or Bittern

[BillN_33]

not a great shot - bottom image is a big crop at ISO 2800 - then cropped again

D750 with Nikon 300mm f4 PF

what do you reckon - Heron or Bittern - Japan, weather still poor - constant steady rain

Pond Heron or Short tailed Bittern or why?

 

[RacingSnake]

Great pictures and interesting dilemma.
My vote goes towards a Heron...
The head/beak didn't look right for a bittern variant to me, but then was stuck on the spots on the back/wings... until I found the Juv. black-crowned night heron

 

[gramps]

Heron.

 

[Joeturner11]

Looks like some sort of Night Heron to me pal.

 

[BillN_33]

I think that it is a juvenile Striated Heron (Butorides striata)

looks like the images that I can find and is also the one that is of least concern, (most common) - the Japanese Night Heron is now quite rare

(all the images of Black crowned Night herons that I can find have red eyes)

 

[The Weasel]

Black-crowned Night Heron for me too.

In the juvenile bird, the eye is orange ( same as in your shots ) the eye turns red as the bird reaches maturity.

BTW, good shots.

 

[BillN_33]

Black-crowned Night Heron for me too.

In the juvenile bird, the eye is orange ( same as in your shots ) the eye turns red as the bird reaches maturity.

BTW, good shots.

How about the following I found on the web

http://www.fotonaturaleza.cl/details.php?image_id=23682

 

[salacalvet]

I also go for night heron juvenile

I'll try and post a juvenile striated heron later for comparison.

From memory they have slightly slender bills and body. No expert though

 

[BillN_33]

I also go for night heron juvenile

I'll try and post a juvenile striated heron later for comparison.

From memory they have slightly slender bills and body. No expert though

I saw this bird near Tokyo Bay ....... east of Tokyo

looking at the distribution map ..... it is not at all common there, (although it is a common Heron)

 

[xmh]

They do look like this pic of a Juvenile BCNH to me as well.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Juvenile_Black_Crowned_Night_Heron.jpg

 

[AdamSi]

I think that it is a juvenile Striated Heron (Butorides striata)

looks like the images that I can find and is also the one that is of least concern, (most common) - the Japanese Night Heron is now quite rare

(all the images of Black crowned Night herons that I can find have red eyes)

I thought that when I googled Bill the other day but does look more like Jerrys right on the money with his link

 

[BillN_33]

I thought that when I googled Bill the other day but does look more like Jerrys right on the money with his link

Yep I reckon that Jerry, Martin and Andy are correct with the BCNH

Thanks

 

[RacingSnake]

Yep I reckon that Jerry, Martin and Andy are correct with the BCNH

Thanks

I said that in the first reply lol

 

[BillN_33]

I said that in the first reply lol

Agreed, you said Heron Gavin

 

[RacingSnake]

Agreed, you said Heron Gavin

I said juv bcnh but whats a bit of semantics between friends

 

[BillN_33]

I said juv bcnh but whats a bit of semantics between friends

Yes you did, sorry, dementia setting in

now I have seen the image on a proper screen, it does not look bad, given the conditions and crop