Bittern Botaurus stellaris   [Linnaeus, 1758]

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   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ardeidae
BTO Codes: BI, BITTE EURING No: 950
Number in Britain: 72 males (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: RED
European: 3 Concern, most not in Europe; Depleted
Global: (Details)
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder, Winter Visitor
Subspecies: stellaris recorded in Britain (of 2 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 75 cm Wingspan: 130 cm Weight: M: 1.5 kg   F: 1 kg    
Scientific name from: ME: botor=bittern (from L.: bos=oxen + taurus=bull) and L.: stellaris=starry
World Distribution: BREEDS: Europe, Africa, n&c Asia, WINTERS: also south to s Asia, Philippines
Habitat: Reedbed & marshes
Diet: Mostly fish, amphibians, insects but wide variety, mostly in shallow water in or near cover
TitBit: Famous for its booming call, which can carry a kilometre or more, each bird sounds slightly different, allowing scientists to individually identify male birds.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: No population trend available
Distribution: No distribution maps available
British Population Size:
    Summer: 72 males in 2005-09
    Winter: 600 individuals in 2010/11
    First Record: Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times [Fossil evidence from early Holocene, up to 10,000 yr ago]
    First Breeding Record: Norfolk (after extinct 1868) 1911
    Latest Survey: Holling, M. & RBBP (2011) British Birds 104:476-537
    Conservation Status: RED because Historical Population Decline,
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 RED     1996-2001 RED  
   Races of Concern: stellaris RED (Historical Decline)
UK Biodiversity Action Plan (Lead Partner: RSPB)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
    Summer: 21 to 29 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Read the European Species Action Plan
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(I), WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results:

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 53 x 39 mm Egg Weight: 42.0 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 2
Clutch Size: 4 - 6 eggs
Incubation: 25- 26 days   by the: Female
Fledging: 50 - 55days as: Altricial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 1
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.700 ± 0.050       
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: Typical Lifespan: No data
Maximum Recorded Age: 10 years 7 months 7 days (set in 2010)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: J
Wing Length Adult: Insufficient Data
Juvenile: Insufficient Data
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Weight Adult: Insufficient Data
Juvenile: Insufficient Data
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Seasonal:

Other Names

Eurasian/Great Bittern
Gaelic: Corra-ghràin Welsh: Aderyn y Bwn
Danish: Rørdrum Dutch: Roerdomp
Finnish: Kaulushaikara French: Butor étoilé
German: Rohrdrommel Hungarian: Bölömbika
Icelandic: Sefþvari Irish: Bonnán
Italian: Tarabuso Norwegian: Rørdrum
Polish: Bak zwyczajny Portuguese: Abetouro-comum
Spanish: Avetoro Swedish: Rördrom
Local Names:Miredrum, Butterbump
Collective Noun:Sedge (or Siege)

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Voisin, C. 1991 The herons of Europe Poyser, London [598.461 VOI]
   Kushlan, J.A. & Hancock, J. 2005 The Herons Oxford University Press [598.461 KUS]
   Brown, A. et al. 2011 Bitterns and bittern conservation in the UK British Birds 105:58-87
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
All About Birds (from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead