A new survey from the RSPB and Natural England shows that in 2023, 234 male Bitterns were recorded booming in the UK – a 24% increase from just five years ago.
You’re very likely to hear a Bittern before you see one. They’re incredibly camouflaged, spending their time in reedbeds across England and Wales. However, they’re the loudest bird in the UK, and their remarkable ‘booming’ sound, used by males to attract a mate, can be heard an incredible three miles away.
Bitterns became extinct as a breeding species in the UK in the 1870s, as they were hunted for food – they made a tasty dish at banquets, unfortunately. The draining of their wetland habitat for agriculture was another cause. Bitterns returned to Norfolk in 1900, but suffered another drop in their numbers. In 1997, the UK population was down to just 11 booming males. A second national extinction was a very real possibility.
But through dedicated RSPB work and conservation measures, they’ve been brought back from the brink. An RSPB-led research programme to save the Bittern found that they prefer wet reedbeds, where it’s easy for them to find the fish they eat. After this, we launched long-term work to improve reedbeds on RSPB reserves, and create new habitat specifically for Bitterns, including at RSPB Leighton Moss in Lancashire, (which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year) where they saw an increase in the numbers of Bitterns jump from six to nine in 2023.
Now, more than half the UK population of Bitterns can be found on RSPB reserves. As well as the success at Leighton Moss, RSPB Langford Lowfields, in Nottinghamshire, had a record three booming Bitterns, and at RSPB Newport Wetlands, in South Wales, six Bittern chicks fledged in 2023.
As RSPB senior conservation scientist, Simon Wotton, describes: “The success of this species is in no doubt thanks to conservation efforts by many dedicated organisations and landowners, including the volunteers who have helped to monitor Bittern populations over the years. It is brilliant to see the hard work of staff and volunteers in managing specialist habitat for Bitterns paying off, and with many RSPB nature reserves now acting as a safe haven for this incredible species, spring really is the time to get out and try to hear their famous boom.
As sea levels continue to rise due to climate change, threatening the loss of valuable reedbed habitat in many coastal areas, these inland breeding sites will act as an all the more important refuge for Bitterns and other wetland species. Restoring these habitats aren’t just important for nature’s sake; they are a win-win for climate and people too as wetlands help to reduce downstream flooding risk and lock up carbon from the atmosphere in the face of the Nature and Climate Emergency.”
The recovery of Bitterns is a great example of focused conservation action and shows that with the right leadership, collaboration and resources, we can rise to the challenges of the nature and climate emergency.
Although Bitterns are still a rare bird, they were once found in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and there is hope that they will also re-establish themselves there. For now, listen out for the species across England and Wales at a number of RSPB nature reserves including:
Leighton Moss, Lancashire
Middleton Lakes, Staffordshire
Old Moor, Yorkshire
St Aidan’s Nature Park, Yorkshire
Blacktoft Sands, Yorkshire
Langford Lowfields, Nottinghamshire
Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire
Minsmere, Suffolk
Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk
Ham Wall, Shapwick Heath, Westhay Moor
Newport Wetlands, Newport
Cors Ddyga, Anglesey
Monitoring programmes such as the annual Bittern survey are essential for effective conservation and could not be carried out without the help of the thousands of volunteers who give their time for nature.
More than 12,000 people volunteer for the RSPB, taking action to make a positive impact for nature and the environment. Find out more about how you can get involved in volunteering with the RSPB to help benefit Bitterns and other amazing wildlife.
