Australasian Bittern

It is a large bittern, patterned and streaked brown, buff and black, with a pale throat. It is a cryptic and partly nocturnal species that inhabits densely vegetated wetlands. It feeds on aquatic animals such as frogs, eels and freshwater crustaceans. It is a solitary nester on the ground in dense wetland vegetation on trampled reeds and other plants. It has a distinctive booming voice and may be heard more often than seen.

The Australasian Bittern is classified as Endangered (EN), considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

The Australasian Bittern is a heavy-set, partially nocturnal heron with upperparts that are patterned dark brown, buff and black, and underparts that are streaked brown and buff. The eyebrow and throat are pale, and the side of the neck is dark brown. The bill is brown and the legs are greenish. More

The Australasian Bittern is one of three similar species that inhabit wetlands in south-western Victoria, the other two being the Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus and the Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus, (particularly the juvenile plumage of these birds) but both being noticeably smaller than the Australasian Bittern. The Australasian Bittern stands nearly a metre tall with a head and body length of up to about 75 cm. More

The Australasian Bittern is not listed as threatened on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Australasian Bittern is listed as threatened on the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. Under this Act, an Action Statement for the recovery and future management of this species has not been prepared. On the 2007 advisory list of threatened vertebrate fauna in Victoria, this species is listed as endangered. More

Videos and images Australasian bittern wading in shallow water Australasian bittern wading in shallow water Species related by - * Family group * Habitat * Conservation status * * View image slideshow * Link to this image * Email to a friend * More

The Australasian bittern or matuku (Botaurus poiciloptilus) is a heron-like bird that lives in shallow, densely vegetated wetlands. It hides among raupō (bulrush), reeds and scrub by standing stock-still with its bill vertical, even swaying with the surrounding plants on a windy day. The bittern is mottled brown with long legs and neck. Stockier than a heron, it is about 70 centimetres long; males weigh 1.4 kilograms, females 1 kilogram. Bitterns hunt fish, frogs, eels, mice and young birds. More

The Australasian Bittern is a large, stocky bird, reaching up to 75 cm in length. It has a long, thick neck and a straight, brownish-yellow bill. Its upper surface is mottled brown and its undersurface is buff, with dark brown stripes, except for a pale throat. The eyes are yellow and there is a pale eyebrow. The feet and legs are pale green. More

Australasian Bittern - Sydney Metro: Distribution and vegetation associations in the Sydney Metro = Scientific name: Botaurus poiciloptilus Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable Distribution of the species within this region The Australasian Bittern is known or predicted to occur in the following sub-regions of the Sydney Metro Catchment Management Region: CMA sub-region Known or predicted to occur Geographic restrictions within region Pittwater (Part A) More