Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Herons, Pelicans & Ibises

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of England Birds of Bedfordshire Birds of Buckinghamshire Birds of South Yorkshire Birds of Berkshire Birds of Bristol Birds of Cambridgeshire Birds of Cheshire Birds of Cumbria Birds of Cornwall

By family

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of England

See what's near you right now

The Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.3 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

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

Where it lives

Widespread

Quick facts

Weight: 1.3 kg
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Eurasian Bittern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Eurasian Bittern is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) belongs to the Ardeidae family of the order Pelecaniformes. It is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF widespread.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.3 kg, with a wing length of about 32.4 cm and a tail of around 9.8 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 18.1 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Eurasian Bittern — Song

Recorded by Christian Bøggild Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Eurasian Bittern?

The Eurasian Bittern is a very large bird that weighs around 1.3 kg.

Where does the Eurasian Bittern live?

The Eurasian Bittern is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Eurasian Bittern belong to?

The Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.

What does the Eurasian Bittern eat?

The Eurasian Bittern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Eurasian Bittern migrate?

The Eurasian Bittern is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Eurasian Bittern endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Eurasian Bittern make?

1 real field recording of the Eurasian Bittern — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Eurasian Bittern's range?

The Eurasian Bittern has a mapped global range of about 18.1 million km².