Herons (Ardeidae)

Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) - HBW 1, p. 428

French: Butor étoilé German: Rohrdommel Spanish: Avetoro Común
Other common names: Great/Common Bittern

Taxonomy: Ardea stellaris Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden.
Sometimes considered to include B. poiciloptilus, with which forms superspecies. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

stellaris (Linnaeus, 1758) - Palearctic and Oriental Regions and N Afrotropical Region.
capensis (Schlegel, 1863) - S Africa.

Least Concern

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30 photos

Bittern in defense pose Locality Zuidplas, South Holland Province, Netherlands (ssp stellaris)
Rob Belterman 24 December 2010 2 years ago 4.8
The male of a bittern arrived from wintering. Locality Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Western Russia, Russia
zarutat 19 April 2009 1 year ago 4.7
Bittern Locality Slimbridge Wildlife & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England, Great Britain
Richard Smart 12 December 2011 1 year ago 4.6
Head close-up Locality Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Suffolk, England, Great Britain (ssp stellaris)
Nik Borrow 2 May 2013 2 weeks ago ADDED LAST MONTH 4.4
Looking for an ice-free spot under a small low bridge Locality Zuidplas, South Holland Province, Netherlands (ssp stellaris)
Rob Belterman 24 December 2010 2 years ago 4.4
Bittern eating an Elephant Hawkmoth larva Deilephila Elepenor. Locality Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England, Great Britain (ssp stellaris)
Wagtail 20 August 2008 4 years ago 4.3
Intimidation posture of an adult male; when released after ringing. Locality Turaw, Gomel Region, Belarus (ssp stellaris)
Laurent Demongin 11 May 2002 4 years ago 4.3
A Eurasian Bittern moving through the reedbed Locality Netherlands (ssp stellaris)
Gerard Visser 22 January 2010 2 years ago 4.3
A poor vole's last breath. Locality Slimbridge Wildlife & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England, Great Britain
Richard Smart 12 December 2011 1 year ago 4.1
Striding across the frozen lake towards a recess in the reed beds with a glimpse of their tops bathed in winter afternoon sun. Locality Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England, Great Britain
Alan Debenham 1 December 2012 24 weeks ago 4
Exploring the reed beds on ice in the winter afternoon sun Locality Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England, Great Britain
Alan Debenham 1 December 2012 24 weeks ago 4
Adult Locality De Biesbosch National Park, Netherlands
Paul Cools 10 January 2011 30 weeks ago 4
Hidden in the reeds Locality Al Khor Treatment Works, Al Khor, Qatar (ssp stellaris)
John A Thompson 13 November 2008 2 years ago 4
Eurasian Bittern close-up of head. Locality Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England, Great Britain (ssp stellaris)
Wagtail 20 August 2008 4 years ago 4
Eurasion Bittern sky-pointing in the open. Locality Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England, Great Britain (ssp stellaris)
Wagtail 20 August 2008 4 years ago 4
Details of the head of a fullgrown chick, showing the typical olive-yellow color of the eye (Pripiat region) Locality Belarus (ssp stellaris)
Laurent Demongin 4 years ago 4
Close-up of a male adult showing the typical blue part of a breeding male, and the dark orange eye of an old adult (Pripiat regi Locality Belarus (ssp stellaris)
Laurent Demongin 4 years ago 4
A nest among Typha with just born chicks. Locality Pripiat River, Gomel Region, Belarus (ssp stellaris)
Laurent Demongin 19 May 2002 4 years ago 4
A nest with two chicks one week old Locality Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France (ssp stellaris)
Laurent Demongin 7 May 2004 4 years ago 4
A nest with eggs and one chick just hatched Locality Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France (ssp stellaris)
Laurent Demongin 25 April 2003 4 years ago 4
Stands without any movement trying to blend into the background Locality Abu Nakhla Ponds, Doha, Qatar (ssp stellaris)
John A Thompson 21 December 2009 2 years ago 3.8
Stands without any movement trying to blend into the background Locality Abu Nakhla Ponds, Doha, Qatar (ssp stellaris)
John A Thompson 21 December 2009 2 years ago 3.8
a very slow walk Locality Cesano Maderno, Lombardy Region, Italy
Cristiano Crolle 2 March 2012 1 year ago 3.6
wintering bird Locality Saint-Renan, Finistère, Bretagne, France (ssp stellaris)
AurélienAudevard 21 February 2009 3 years ago 3.5
wintering bird Locality Saint-Renan, Finistère, Bretagne, France (ssp stellaris)
AurélienAudevard 21 February 2009 3 years ago 3.5
A nest with a full clutch of five eggs Locality Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France (ssp stellaris)
Laurent Demongin 5 June 2006 4 years ago 3.5
A migrant adult bird walking in the steppe. Locality Kendirli-Kayasan plateau, Mangystau Province, Kazakhstan (ssp stellaris)
Christophe Gouraud 9 April 2009 3 years ago 3
Bird on the ice. Locality Vaud Canton, Switzerland (ssp stellaris)
Thomas Doerig 26 December 2010 2 years ago 2.9
A bird hiding behind reeds. Locality Axios Delta, Central Macedonia Region, Greece
Theo Mamais 1 December 2001 32 weeks ago 2.6
A migrant adult walking in the steppe. Locality Kendirli-Kayasan plateau, Mangystau Province, Kazakhstan (ssp stellaris)
Christophe Gouraud 9 April 2009 3 years ago 2.5
Adult perching on reeds. Locality Hatch Pond LNR, Poole, Dorset, England, Great Britain (ssp stellaris)
simonjohnson 27 January 2009 4 years ago 2.3