The great bittern belongs to the same family as the heron. Adult birds are, on average, approximately 70 centimeters tall. Females weigh around 1 kilogram, while males are twice as heavy. Their wings are wide, with a span of up to 1.3 meters. The Eurasian bittern’s legs are not very long, thus it wades into shallow but not very deep waters. Hence, it lives in groves of alder trees and willows, and stands of common reeds on the shores of quiet rivers and lakes, and in abandoned peat harvesting sites, reed beds and swamps.
In winter time, Eurasian bitterns migrate south. They return home in April to May and build their nests in a quiet place. Typically, their abodes are simply a heap of bulrush stalks and leaves with a hollow at the top. The bird lays up to 6 eggs in it.
Great bitterns return to Russia from warmer regions in early spring. The migrations south take place from the end of September to the beginning of October, although some birds leave only after it snows for the first time. Eurasian bitterns travel alone in spring as well as autumn. Molting occurs once a year from August to January. In other words, feather replacement often continues once these birds have migrated elsewhere for the winter.
Great bitterns are active when it is dark. Just as many herons, they can stand perfectly still for a long time awaiting their prey, which they grab lightning fast. During the day, the bird stands motionless, typically on one leg, in thick undergrowth, with its head pulled in towards its body and feathers raised. It is difficult to notice it even if you are nearby. These birds differ from their well-known white as snow “relatives” in size and color. The feathers on the great bittern’s back are black with yellow edges while those on its stomach are ochre-colored with lateral lines. Its legs are light green and the bill is black. At even the slightest sign of danger, the bird ‘stands to attention’, raises its bill up high and remains perfectly still. Having adapted such a pose, it completely blends into the surrounding vegetation. The bird can remain motionless for hours, and yet it carefully watches fish and amphibians swimming nearby, ready to attack at any given moment.
The Eurasian bittern eats fish and frogs that it catches with its pointed bill from its hiding spot. These birds can destroy nearby nests, hence they do not venture far from their own abodes. They feed their offspring with tadpoles.
It is not easy for just about anyone to catch a glimpse of this bird, but many have heard it. The sounds made by the great bittern coming from a foggy swamp can be truly frightening. They resemble the noises made by someone’s feet smacking against the water; the gurgling of a water sprite; the sighs of mermaids, and children crying. It is quite possible that many of the stories told by tourists about mysterious creatures circling their tents all night long have been inspired by these strange noises. The Eurasian bittern produces these sounds by swelling its esophagus, thus transforming it into a resonating organ. In fact, its apt name in Russian, “vyp”, clearly comes from the words “vyt” (howl) and “vopyt” (scream). In reality, the great bittern is a harmless bird, although it can injure one’s eyes and arms with its sharp bill if it feels completely trapped. Hence, it is best not to touch this bird, especially since it was added to Russia’s and Kemerovo Oblast’s Red List of Threatened Species.
In winter time, Eurasian bitterns migrate south. They return home in April to May and build their nests in a quiet place. Typically, their abodes are simply a heap of bulrush stalks and leaves with a hollow at the top. The bird lays up to 6 eggs in it.
Great bitterns return to Russia from warmer regions in early spring. The migrations south take place from the end of September to the beginning of October, although some birds leave only after it snows for the first time. Eurasian bitterns travel alone in spring as well as autumn. Molting occurs once a year from August to January. In other words, feather replacement often continues once these birds have migrated elsewhere for the winter.
Great bitterns are active when it is dark. Just as many herons, they can stand perfectly still for a long time awaiting their prey, which they grab lightning fast. During the day, the bird stands motionless, typically on one leg, in thick undergrowth, with its head pulled in towards its body and feathers raised. It is difficult to notice it even if you are nearby. These birds differ from their well-known white as snow “relatives” in size and color. The feathers on the great bittern’s back are black with yellow edges while those on its stomach are ochre-colored with lateral lines. Its legs are light green and the bill is black. At even the slightest sign of danger, the bird ‘stands to attention’, raises its bill up high and remains perfectly still. Having adapted such a pose, it completely blends into the surrounding vegetation. The bird can remain motionless for hours, and yet it carefully watches fish and amphibians swimming nearby, ready to attack at any given moment.
The Eurasian bittern eats fish and frogs that it catches with its pointed bill from its hiding spot. These birds can destroy nearby nests, hence they do not venture far from their own abodes. They feed their offspring with tadpoles.
It is not easy for just about anyone to catch a glimpse of this bird, but many have heard it. The sounds made by the great bittern coming from a foggy swamp can be truly frightening. They resemble the noises made by someone’s feet smacking against the water; the gurgling of a water sprite; the sighs of mermaids, and children crying. It is quite possible that many of the stories told by tourists about mysterious creatures circling their tents all night long have been inspired by these strange noises. The Eurasian bittern produces these sounds by swelling its esophagus, thus transforming it into a resonating organ. In fact, its apt name in Russian, “vyp”, clearly comes from the words “vyt” (howl) and “vopyt” (scream). In reality, the great bittern is a harmless bird, although it can injure one’s eyes and arms with its sharp bill if it feels completely trapped. Hence, it is best not to touch this bird, especially since it was added to Russia’s and Kemerovo Oblast’s Red List of Threatened Species.
