Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris Eurasian Bittern Ca: Bitó comú Da: Rørdrum De: Rohrdommel Es: Avetoro común Fi: kaulushaikara Fr: Butor étoilé It: Tarabuso Nl: Roerdomp No: Rørdrum Pt: Abetouro Sv: Rördrom US: Eurasian Bittern Ru: Выпь

Photo by wim de groot

Description

Large bird of reed beds. Mottled brown body, knife like bill, black crown.

Habitats

Reed Beds

Breeding

Nest of reed stems deep in reed beds. 1 brood.

Food

Fish & eels

Song/Voice

Song is deep booming sound

When

Can be seen throughout the year but more widespread in Western Europe during Winter (very localised).

Identification

Photo taken: Castricum, the Netherlands. Great Bittern (Eurasian Bittern) Botaurus stellaris RANGE Eurasia and Africa. Resident at very scattered localities in West and Central Europe, breeds in eastern and north-west England, parts of France, Iberia and northern Italy. Main range extends from southern parts of Sweden and Finland, Denmark, northern Germany and the Low Countries east to the Baltic States and Russia. Patchy distribution in the south-east with scattered populations in the Balkans and Turkey. Very small numbers breed around the Mediterranean in the Balearics and Sardinia and in North-West Africa. More widespread to the east occurring across much of temperate Asia from the Caspian to the Pacific coast breeding in the Russian Far East and Sakhalin, perhaps also Hokkaido.

A summer visitor to more eastern parts from southern Sweden and south Denmark eastwards, resident elsewhere but may disperse in response to severe weather. In winter a few appear in North Africa, especially Egypt, also Greece, Turkey and the Middle East. Population very low in many areas, e.g. Britain and falls further after hard winters. Vagrants recorded Iceland, Faroes and Norway, Cyprus, Syria and Jordan and on the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands.

Nominate race occurs widely in northern, central and eastern sub-Saharan Africa in winter and African race breeds discontinuously from southern Tanzania and Zambia south to the Cape. This race is probably resident with local movements governed by rains.

HABITAT Densely vegetated swamps with small areas of open water but prefers extensive reedbeds. Sometimes in smaller reed-patches or other vegetation but rarely seen in the open. On passage and in winter may become more obvious and occurs in a wider range of habitats, sometimes around disused gravel-pits and reservoirs.

Bird Song

<flashmp3>Botaurus stellaris (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

External Links

• View more images of Great Bittern in the gallery