Botaurus poiciloptilus Status_ne_offStatus_dd_offStatus_lc_offStatus_nt_offStatus_vu_offStatus_en_onStatus_cr_offStatus_ew_offStatus_ex_off Summary Classification Schemes Images & External Links Bibliography Full Account Taxonomy Assessment Information Geographic Range Population Habitat and Ecology Threats Conservation Actions View Printer Friendly Taxonomy [top] Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family ANIMALIA CHORDATA AVES CICONIIFORMES ARDEIDAE Scientific Name: Botaurus poiciloptilus Species Authority: (Wagler, 1827) Common Name/s: English – Australasian Bittern Assessment Information [top] Red List Category & Criteria: Endangered C1 ver 3.1 Year Published: 2009 Assessor/s: BirdLife International Reviewer/s: Garnett, S., Butchart, S., Bird, J. Contributor/s: Herman, K., O'Donnell, C., Blyth, J., Tzaros, C., Bell, B., Garnett, S., Holmes, T., Miskelly, C., Loyn, R., Wakefield, B., Watson, D., Burbidge, A., Jaensch, R., Barré, N., O'Connor, J., Sherley, G., Ford, H., Christidis, L. Justification: This species is listed as Endangered because it has a very small and rapidly declining population owing to loss and degradation of its wetland habitats. Urgent action is a priority to halt declines in Australia. History: 2008 – Endangered 2006 – Endangered 2004 – Endangered 2000 – Vulnerable 1996 – Endangered 1994 – Endangered Geographic Range [top] Range Description: Botaurus poiciloptilus occurs in the wetlands of southern Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia (to France). In Australia the population is now estimated to number not more than 1,000 mature individuals15. Consecutive atlas censuses in Australia have shown a marked decrease in reporting rate; the species was recorded in 260 10-minute grid squares in 1977-1981, 142 grid squares in 1998-2003, and just 61 in 2003-200816. The declining reporting rate was particularly pronounced in the Riverina (63%), Tasmania (>90%), and south-west Australia (>90%). This decline in reporting rate is thought to represent a genuine population decline over the period. In Australia, most birds are in the Murray-Darling basin and adjacent coastal areas. In Western Australia, the population was estimated to contain up to 100 pairs in 19807, but it is now much reduced, with the largest concentration in the Albany and Lake Muir wetlands. There have been no confirmed records from the Swan Coastal Plain since 1992 and surveys conducted in 2007 and 2008 found that half the wetlands that supported the species in 1980 now retained no suitable habitat17. There are now only occasional records from Queensland5 and there appears to have been no great influx to remnant wetlands after the recent drought, as might have been expected if they were more common inland. In South Australia, breeding is confined to the south-east, however, loss of suitable habitat at Bool Lagoon, arguably the key site in Australia for this species, and other wetlands in the area due to changes in regional drainage, has probably had a large impact in last 10-20 years13. It is now known from just one site, Hirds Swamp, in Victoria18. In Tasmania the species is now recorded from only handful of sites and several of the major lakes that it once occupied have been dry for some years. In New Zealand, the estimated population was between 580-725 individuals in 19806; numbers may be greater, given the lack of targeted survey work, and the large size of suitable swamps9. In New Caledonia and Uvea, there have been just two recent records of single calling males, and the population is not thought to exceed 50 individuals1,3. Countries: Native: Australia; New Zealand Present - origin uncertain: New Caledonia Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range. Population [top] Population: In New Zealand, the estimated population was between 580-725 individuals in 1980 (Heather and Robertson, 1997). The population on New Caledonia is not thought to exceed 50 individuals. Following apparently rapid declines, the Australian population is now thought to number fewer than 1,000 mature individuals (R. Loyn in litt. 2008). Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat and Ecology [top] Habitat and Ecology: It has fairly specific habitat preferences, preferring shallow, vegetated freshwater or brackish swamps where there is a mixture of short and tall emergent sedges and rushes4. It has been recorded in paddies in the Murray Darling basin, but it is not thought to use such habitats for breeding18. It usually lays four eggs. It feeds, mostly at night, on fish, eels, frogs, freshwater crayfish and aquatic insects6. The population seems to increase rapidly in good years and decline rapidly in poor ones12. Systems: Freshwater; Marine Threats [top] Major Threat(s): In Australia and New Zealand, the main threats are wetland drainage for agriculture, as well as changes brought about by high levels of grazing and salinisation of swamps2,4,5. In Australia, the species appears able to adapt to the availability of ephemeral wetlands, but is likely to be particularly sensitive to the destruction of drought refugia. Loss of these habitats may explain its decline in Western and South Australia5. The Murray-Darling basin, a former stronghold of the species, has suffered consecutive droughts in recent years and over-extraction of water is an ongoing problem14,15. Shooting and flying into powerlines are additional contributory causes2, but hunting pressure is very low11. Conservation Actions [top] Conservation Actions: Conservation Actions Underway In Australia, Bool Lagoon and Lake Muir are managed specifically for the species5. In Australia, recent initiatives by the Threatened Bird Network to survey Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis australis will contribute to the information on the distribution of this species10, 18. Conservation Actions Proposed Complete field surveys to determine current global distribution, status and key sites for conservation1,5,8. Develop methods for assessing population trends5. In New Zealand, determine factors that may be limiting populations8. In New Caledonia, obtain legal protection of representative, low altitude habitats1. Protect remaining sites against drainage or salinisation. Rehabilitate former breeding sites5. Citation: BirdLife International 2009. Botaurus poiciloptilus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. . Downloaded on 11 June 2012. Disclaimer: To make use of this information, please check the . Feedback: If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided

Request for bittern sightings in Canterbury 2010-2012

Hi all - yes I am still working on bitterns- data sets are being analysed on a national level at present by myself and I understand DOC- so to all who contributed sightings up to 2010- thanks . I will be releasing some informal reports this year and am working on a scientific paper on an analysis of bittern mortality-injury records in New Zealand.DOC updated their web page last year with a threatened species profile on bittern which Colin O'Donnell and myself contributed to - about time given the Nationally Threatened status of the species! At present I am keen on any bittern records ( not already sunmitted to me) from Canterbury in the last two years ( back to June 2010) for a research report I am working on at present. All sightings will be acknowledged. Thanks Peter

An update from North Island bittern researcher- Emma Williams

Last year we found that our recording devices compared favourably with observers listening for bittern in the field. As a result of this, we are now looking at how they can be used to monitor bittern populations on a national scale.

Our objectives this season are:

At Whangamarino wetland

To repeat the baseline Whangamarino bittern survey with the automatic recorders. This should
• provide a firm baseline for future monitoring
• give us an idea of the feasibility and issues associated with deploying a large number of recorders at one time
• test our revised field protocol for monitoring
A low density wetlands nationally

To sample bittern calls from sites with lower densities of bittern to try and see if the monitoring protocols work in such areas. This work is taking place mainly in the Waikato, Manawatu and the East Coast, at wetlands with <8 bitterns.

If anyone is interested in getting involved or knows of a good spot worth investigating for bitterns, feel free to get in touch with either of us.

In the meantime, we will keep you posted with how it all goes and look forward to hearing about everyone’s bittern sightings and booming reports.

Contact: Emma Williams (bitternwills@gmail.co.nz) or Colin O Donnell (codonnell@doc.govt.nz)

Regards

Injured bittern rescued but can not be returned to wild

Link
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/5188268/Vets-take-Boris-under-their-wing

Bitterns in the environs of Brooklands Lagoon-

The following is a recent report (-120511) from Christchurch City Council ranger/ornithologist- Andrew Crossland-


Bittern set to be the big winners from the CHCH earthquakes

3 bittern sightings in less than a week in the environs of Brooklands
Lagoon have made me take stock of what a major turn of fortune the CHCH
earthqukes have been for the local conservation of this species.

Elevated river levels (considered to be permanent) have flooded riparian
margins all the way along the Styx River and Kaputone Stream in NE
Christchurch, turning many, many hectares of willow/blackberry infested
riverbank and dry ex-river channels into well-watered riparian wetlands.
The 86 ha Styx Rivermouth wetlands which were essentially tidal
saltmarsh and rivermars prior to the quakes has now expanded by 10+ ha
with large springs flooding a large area of rank grass-covered wasteland
which since the Sept quake has rapidly begun to infill with raupo.
Bittterns have already discovered this habitat, which within 2-4 years
will hopefuly be a vast raupo swamp offering plenty of breeding habitat
for swampbirds.

AC

Russia's 'kiwi' came from closer to home
KIRSTY JOHNSTON Last updated 09:50 11/05/2011
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Wikimedia Commons
REED ALL ABOUT IT: A Eurasian bittern blends in nicely in its marshy habitat.

BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust A BITTERN DIFFERENT: A kiwi chick. Getty Images MASTER OF DISGUISE: An American bittern mimics a reed by pointing its beak skywards.
The story of a kiwi bird gone rogue in a Russian city has turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

Russian media had reported that the kiwi was found in a garden in the port city of Sochi, where it had been hiding out for at least three days.

Speculation was rife as to how the kiwi arrived in Russia, with some believing it had been smuggled on a cruise ship.

However, after viewing a picture of the bird yesterday, Zoologist Alexander Kornilov instead identified the bird as a common bittern, Russian BBC reported.

Bitterns, which are found throughout Europe, North Africa and central Asia, migrated through the region of Sochi each spring, Kornilov said.

"Probably one of the birds hit the wires, damaged the wing and so she stayed in Sochi. The situation is quite common," he said.

The Department of Conservation, which had been investigating the reports, said it wasn't surprised by the result.

It warned yesterday that similar reports had turned out to be hoaxes.

However, the mistake may have been a genuine one.

Russian news site Pravda said the bittern in the Sochi garden probably would have resembled the Kiwi in appearance, as they typically moved along the ground while in the park.

Like kiwi, Bitterns are shy, secretive and more likely to be heard than seen, according to a BBC description.

The plump heron-like birds are described as having "subtle brown plumage" which blends almost perfectly into its reed-bed habitat.

Even when frightened, the bittern stands perfectly still pointing its neck and bill skywards, to look just like a reed stalk.

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Bitterns – “kings of the wetland’

Bitterns – “kings of the wetland’
Peter Langlands
29 April 2011

Duck shooters are advised to take care not to accidentally shot a bittern during the upcoming season. These large birds are an endangered species and listed by DOC has “Nationally Threatened” and are fully protected.
Bitterns have evolved a streaked brown and black plumage to camouflage in with reed beds. The birds are about a kilogram in weight, half way in size between a mallard and Canada goose, but have a large pointed bill. Bittern often startle you as these large birds will flush out of the reeds at short range.
Bittern (or as they are known Matuku) have benefited from waterfowl wetland enhancement work done by Fish and Game and private individuals. But with over 90% of our wetlands drained the bittern have over all declined. Bittern are very much a bird of our larger wilderness wetlands, but are often sighted in drains and on farmland from March to June.
Although common at the Whangamarino wetland are bittern are quite scare and spread out though much of the country with a nationwide population of around 750 birds. If any shooters sight bittern or have photographs of bittern I would be keen to hear from you as I am collecting bittern records for a national database to assist with the conservation of the species (email – langlands@xtra.co.nz).

Photograph shows a bittern in flight at Te Waihora (c. Peter Langlands- Bittern researcher).