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Botaurus stellaris

Photo by wim de groot

[edit] Identification

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

[edit] Distribution

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.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] 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.

[edit] Behaviour

The bird is secretive and very difficult to spot if it does not break cover. It is superbly camouflaged for its reed bed habitat and uses this to stalk its prey. It feeds in a similar manner to the Grey Heron, stabbing and snapping with its sharp beak and can remain hunched and utterly motionless for hours at a time. When moving it is generally in a slow, creeping stalk that is difficult to pick out though it does sometimes dart rapidly forwards.

Bitterns do fly from reed bed to reed bed and this is a good time to spot them. Their flight is low and rapid with relatively slow, powerful, purposeful wingbeats.

[edit] Vocalisation

Male Bitterns make a booming call to announce territory and display to potential mates.

[edit] External Links