Least Bittern vs Neotropical otter

Ixobrychus exilis compared with Lontra longicaudis

Key Differences

• Least Bittern is Least Concern while Neotropical otter is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Least Bittern	Neotropical otter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Pelecaniformes (Pelecaniformes)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Ardeidae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Ixobrychus	Lontra
Species	Ixobrychus exilis	Lontra longicaudis

Evolutionary Relationship

Least Bittern and Neotropical otter share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Least Bittern

LC — Least Concern

Neotropical otter

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Least Bittern	Neotropical otter
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Least Bittern

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, United States, and Venezuela.

Neotropical otter

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

Least Bittern

Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇻🇪 Venezuela