Great Bittern

‘That’s the devil!’ people used to think. When the Eurasian bittern calls a female, it sounds like a foghorn. With its throat, it makes low BOOM sounds. To do this, the bittern draws a deep breath to fill the throat pouch before expelling the air. His call can be heard for kilometres, so a female knows where a male can be found.

The Eurasian bittern is known for its unusual stance, known as bitterning. By adopting this posture, it imitates the surrounding reeds. It points its head and neck upwards and can remain motionless for hours, blending into the reeds.

A flying bittern retracts its head into its body, like the grey heron.