Bittern

Name: Bittern

Scientific name: Botaurus stellaris

Category: Birds

Nature Stars: 90

What are nature stars?

About: A rare, shy heron, about 80cm tall. Bitterns spend almost all their time hidden away in large reedbeds, where they feed on eels and other fish. Bitterns have wonderfully camouflaged plumage, pale brown with beige and black markings, helping them to blend in with their surroundings.

How to identify: Very well camouflaged, with streaky brown plumage.

Where: A shy, rare bird found in large reedbeds, especially in East Anglia, Kent, south Wales and North West England.

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 70
• Agility: 20
• Rarity: 90
• Cute factor: 30
• Traveller: 60

Fantastic fact: During the breeding season, the male Bittern 'booms', making a deep, fog horn-like boom which can be heard up to 2 miles away, mostly at night.

Photograph credit: Photo credit tbc