Botaurus stellaris
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Mass
~1 kg
Habitat
Wetlands and marshes
Diet
Fish and aquatic animals
How to recognize it
The Eurasian Bittern is usually hidden in reeds and other thick cover, so it is easy to miss. When it freezes with its neck stretched upright, it blends into the stems and almost disappears.
It is a shy, secretive hunter that prefers to stay still rather than show itself. In spring the male gives away its presence with a deep, far-carrying boom, most often heard at dusk, at night, or early in the morning.
It lives around standing water and slow-moving wetlands with dense reedbeds. It feeds mainly on fish, and also takes frogs, newts, aquatic insects, and other small prey; some populations stay through winter, while others move south.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The Eurasian Bittern is usually hidden in reeds and other thick cover, so it is easy to miss. When it freezes with its neck stretched upright, it blends into the stems and almost disappears.
It is a shy, secretive hunter that prefers to stay still rather than show itself. In spring the male gives away its presence with a deep, far-carrying boom, most often heard at dusk, at night, or early in the morning.
It lives around standing water and slow-moving wetlands with dense reedbeds. It feeds mainly on fish, and also takes frogs, newts, aquatic insects, and other small prey; some populations stay through winter, while others move south.
