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Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Not yet photographed by the community

Booming voice; perfectly camouflaged in reedbeds; amber eyes.

Species Profile

Red List (Amber List under newer criteria); Schedule 1 protected species

Lifespan: 8–12 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 70–80 cm, wingspan 100–130 cm; 900–1,900 g
Habitat: Reedbeds and wetlands with dense vegetation, typically in lowland freshwater marshes, fens, and river valleys.
UK Distribution: Rare winter visitor and scarce breeding resident in southern England, primarily East Anglia and the south-east. Populations fluctuate; breeding largely occurs at major reedbed reserves.
Diet: Fish (pike, eels, carp, perch), amphibians, reptiles, insects, small mammals, and occasionally waterfowl.
Prey: Fish, eels, frogs, newts, small mammals, insects
Predators: White-tailed eagles, marsh harriers, foxes, and egg predators including corvids and mink
Mating Season: March to July
Breeding: Clutch of 3–5 eggs, incubation period 25–26 days, typically single brood. Fledging at 7–8 weeks.
Behaviour: Solitary and highly cryptic, remaining concealed within reedbeds. Males produce a distinctive booming call, audible up to 5 km away, during the breeding season. Primarily nocturnal feeder.

Did You Know?

•The male's resonant booming call is created by inflating the oesophagus and is one of the loudest bird calls in the UK
•Bitterns nearly went extinct in Britain during the 20th century, declining to zero breeding pairs by 1997 before conservation efforts restored populations
•They have specially adapted vertebrae and a flattened body shape allowing them to compress vertically for concealment among reeds
•When threatened, bitterns adopt a freezing posture with their bill pointed upwards, mimicking reed stems
•They have forward-facing eyes unusual for herons, giving them binocular vision suited to hunting in dense vegetation

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