Very Rare Bird- Great Bittern Spots at Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur !

Image credit to nature guide, Rachit Singh

Keoladeo National Park | November 14, 2017.

The Great bittern (Botaurus stelleris) was spotted by nature guide, Rachit Singh on 11 November, 2017 in Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India. Authorities and sighting records suggested that it is one of the rare birds and sighted almost after 14-15 years back at Keoladeo National Park.

The bird, Great bittern is also known Eurasian bittern, it is a wading bird belonging to the family Ardeidae. The Eurasian bittern species is distributed in Indian Subcontinent, Europe, Asia and Africa.

The Great bittern species are large birds, the male is larger than the female. The male measures 65 to 80 cm in length and weighs 750 to 2,050 grams. The female bittern weighs near about 650 to 1,150 grams. The wingspan of it is 125 to 135 cm. These bittern species have bright, pale, buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars.

Image credit to nature guide, Rachit Singh

Habitat

The Great bittern species usually prefer water bodies with thick fringe vegetation, especially reed beds. They inhabit marshes, ponds, lakes, streams, estuaries, delta marshes, rice fields and flooded grasslands.

These type of bittern species are active in the morning and dusk, feeding on insects, frogs, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, snakes, lizards, birds, nestlings and small mammals.
Breeding

The Great bittern species breeding season is from March to July and the males are polygamous. The nests are built on reed beds. The nest may contain 4 to 5 eggs.

Many congratulations to Rachit ji for recording it and sharing. Indeed its great news."

Reference : News sources from Nature guide, Rachit Singh, Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India