Prakruti Parichay
ArdeidaeBotaurus

Great Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

50–70 cmVery Large
Beak
—
Feet
—
Crest
No crest

Widespread winter visitor. Stocky. Golden-brown and cryptically patterned. with black crown and moustachial stripe. Habits are those of a typical bittern. Usually remains hidden in reedbeds and is most often seen flying low over the reed tops. Hunts alone. by walking stealthily through vegetation. often with intervals of standing motionless. Dense tall wet beds of Phragmitss reeds or Typha bulrushes in lakes and marshes.

Colour

GoldenBrownBlack
Average size
60 cm
Habitat
Dense tall wet beds of Phragmitss reeds or Typha bulrushes in lakes and marshes.
Behaviour
Widespread winter visitor., Habits are those of a typical bittern. Usually remains hidden in reedbeds and is most often seen flying low over the reed tops. Hunts alone. by walking stealthily through vegetation. often with intervals of standing motionless.

About this bird

Widespread winter visitor. Stocky. Golden-brown and cryptically patterned. with black crown and moustachial stripe. Habits are those of a typical bittern. Usually remains hidden in reedbeds and is most often seen flying low over the reed tops. Hunts alone. by walking stealthily through vegetation. often with intervals of standing motionless. Dense tall wet beds of Phragmitss reeds or Typha bulrushes in lakes and marshes.

Compare size with other birds

Every bird sits between two neighbours — bigger than one, smaller than the other. The sentences below are generated live from the database.

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Great Bittern is bigger than Lesser White-fronted Goose but smaller than Indian Spot-billed Duck.

This bird

Great Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

50–70 cm