Bittern
Key facts
Scientific name: Botaurus stellaris
Status: Resident breeding species and winter migrant
Breeding birds: 80 pairs
Wintering birds: 600
Conservation status: Red
Length: 64 – 81 cm
Wingspan: 100 – 130 cm
Weight: 865 – 1940 g
Description
Bitterns are stocky, bulky herons with thick necks. They are golden brown with a black crown.
Bitterns’ underparts are paler with dark streaks and the breast, belly and flanks are streaked with reddish-brown.
Their yellow bills are long and pointed and their eyes are reddish-orange.
Juvenile bitterns look similar to the adults but have fewer markings.
Nesting
Bitterns build their nests in reedbeds. Females build the nest alone making a floating platform from reeds and aquatic plants and line it with finer materials.
Bitterns lay 4-5 eggs between April and May. The eggs are greenish-brown with brown spots.
Incubation takes about 26 days by the female alone. Females also feed the chicks who leave the nest after about 12 days and leave the nest between June and August.
Feeding
Bitterns eat a varied diet of fish, amphibians and insects. They have also been known to eat small mammals and in some parts of Europe eels form a principal part of their diet.
Where to see them
Bitterns are found in wetlands with large reedbeds. They are most visible during the winter.
Listen
Sonnenburg/xeno-canto
Did you know?
A bittern’s boom, emitted by males during breeding season, can be heard up to 2 km away.