Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Regis Nossent,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
PINNATED BITTERN Botaurus pinnatus
The "Big Daddy" of Paraguayan bitterns, this species is an inhabitant of the native flooded grasslands of southern Paraguay. Added to the fact that bitterns are, by nature, difficult to observe, the pristine habitat on which they depend finds itself threatened by draining for agriculture - occurring as it does in the agricultural centre of Paraguay. This species forms a superspecies with both the northern American Bittern B.lentiginosus and the Great Bittern B.stellaris of the Old World and shares many of the same behavioural traits, including the deep, far-carrying booming call. If you think you have seen a Pinnated Bittern don´t be too hasty, the species is easily confused with the juvenile Rufescent Tiger-Heron. Note that this species is streaked above and not barred, and if your bird is perched in a tree or sat out in the open without a care in the world, chances are you´re looking at a Tiger-Heron and not the reclusive bittern.
FIGURE 1 - Nestling, Isla Ybicui, Departamento Itapúa (Myriam Velázquez December 2001).
FIGURE 2 - Nest with egg and nestling, Isla Ybicui, Departamento Itapúa (Myriam Velázquez December 2001).
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