- Botaurus poiciloptilus
Identification
75 cm.
- Mottled brown upperparts
- Buff underparts with dark brown stripes
- Pale throat
- Pale eyebrow
- Yellow eyes
- Straight, brownish-yellow bill
- Pale green feet and legs
Distribution
South-eastern Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Ouvea.
Taxonomy
Monotypic[1]
Habitat
Freshwater wetlands with tall, dense vegetation, particularly bullrushes.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes frogs, fish, spiders, insects and snails.
Breeding
They build nests in secluded places in densely-vegetated wetlands on a platform of reeds; 6 olive-brown eggs are laid.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- .nsw.gov.au
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Australasian Bittern. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Australasian_Bittern
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
