Lake Ellesmere- a critical regional stronghold for bittern

Bird photographed flying into a dense raupo bed in late July

Fifth bittern for year sighted today !

Yeah- getting confident at finding them now- photos being worked on. Lake Ellesmere Region- Canterbury's stronghold !

Bittern flying over a frozen lake

It is quite remarkable that bittern over winter on the Ashburton Lakes- tough birds

Bittern close to extinction in Tasmania - IUCN

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/144719/0

Bittern in Australia- conservation status changes

1988 – Lower Risk/least concern

2008 - Endangered

In the space of twenty years awareness of the birds conservation status has changed markedly !

Proposal to place bittern one rank up in conservation status in NSW

2010

Proposal to list bittern as an endangered species - Threatened species Conservation Act- NSW

Hello fellow bitterners- more information on the state of the bittern in NSW- Australia

NSW Scientific Committee - preliminary determination
The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Preliminary Determination to support a proposal to list the Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus Wagler 1827 as an ENDANGERED SPECIES in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Act, and as a consequence, to omit reference to the Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus Wagler 1827 from Part 1 of Schedule 2 (Vulnerable species) of the Act. Listing of Endangered species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/austbitternPD.htm