Black-backed Bittern

Botaurus dubius

Black-backed Bittern (Botaurus dubius) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of New Zealand Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia

By family

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Australia Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of New Zealand Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Australian Capital Territory Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of New South Wales Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Northern Territory Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Queensland Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of South Australia Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Victoria Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Black-backed Bittern (Botaurus dubius) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Australia & Oceania.

We’re still expanding this profile. Verified detail — diet, behaviour, identification and more — is added as our editors and reviewers complete it.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Pelecaniformes
Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns
Genus Botaurus
Species dubius

Where it lives

Patchily in south-central, north-central, southeastern New Guinea and far southwestern WA, northeastern WA to southern VIC (southwestern, northern, eastern Australia)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes

Biology & behaviour

The Black-backed Bittern (Botaurus dubius) is a species of herons, bitterns in the family Ardeidae, order Pelecaniformes. It is found in Australia & Oceania — patchily in sc, nc, se New Guinea and far sw WA, ne WA to s VIC (sw, n, e Australia).