Australasian Bittern

Botaurus poiciloptilus (Wagler, 1827)

Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus is a heron in the family Ardeidae that breeds in Australasia, including far south-west Western Australia, south-east Queensland to south-east South Australia and Tasmania, New Zealand’s North, South and Stewart islands, and Ouvea and Grande Terre in New Caledonia. It is a wetland bird of reeds and rushes, and is hard to see because it blends into that cover. Males give a booming call that can travel a long way. It was described by Wagler in 1827.

Order

Pelecaniformes

Family

Ardeidae — Herons, Bitterns

Breeding range

Australasia: far sw WA, se QLD to se SA and Tasmania (sw, se Australia), North, South and Stewart is. (New Zealand), Ouvea (Loyalty Is.) and Grande Terre (New Caledonia; rare)