Latin name

Botaurus stellaris

Family

(Ardeidae)

Overview

A thickset heron with all-over bright, pale, buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars. It flies on broad, rounded, bowed wings. A secretive bird, very difficult to see, as it moves silently through reeds at water's edge, looking for fish. The males make a remarkable far-carrying, booming sound in spring. Its dependence on reedbeds and very small population make it a Red List species - one of the most threatened in the UK.

Where to see them

Wetlands with large reedbeds, especially RSPB reserves at Minsmere, Suffolk and Leighton Moss, Lancashire. In winter it can also be watched at viewing sites in the Lea Valley, Hertfordshire.

When to see them

All year round. Most visible in winter at certain sites.

What they eat

Fish, amphibians and insects.

This text was provided with kind permission from the RSPB www.rspb.org.uk