Many Faces of Yellow Bittern

Yellow Bitterns (Ixobrychus sinensis) are found usually at freshwater wetlands with thick vegetation to hide and nest in which include marshes, grasslands, reedbeds & ponds.

These secretive birds are hard to spot because of their supreme camouflage. They are usually seen only in flight, and their flights are usually brief and low.
However, this particular Yellow bittern that we saw at Singapore Chinese Garden totally out of the norm.This Yellow bittern did not stay close the water edge nor camouflage within thick vegetation. Instead, it stays openly with the whole body exposed and can be seen from any angle.

Even when perch on the tree, this Yellow bittern also totally exposed and can be seen from any angle too! What a exceptional bird!