Wildlife in Italy: Bittern - Egretta garzetta

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Systematic classification and distribution

Class: Birds
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: ardeidi
Kind: Botaurus
Species: B. stellaris

It is a rather rare species in Italy and is found in some Central-Northern wetlands, from Umbria to Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Unlike what happens with other species, the winter bittern population increases: in fact, to the nesting quota, there is a substantial number of individuals who choose our country to spend the winter months, and especially groups from central Europe Northern (Germany and Poland) and the Baltic area (Latvia, Sweden and Finland).
Two subspecies:
-Botaurus stellaris stellaris
- Botaurus stellaris capensis

Bittern - Botaurus stellaris (photo Oasi Gabbianello)

Bittern - Botaurus stellaris (photo Emanuele Stival www.ornitologiaveneziana.eu)

Bittern - Botaurus stellaris (photo www.robertocobianchi.net)

Distinctive characters

Length: 75 cm
Weight: 1.200 gr
Wingspan: up to 110 cm

It has a mottled plumage, which allows it to blend in with the reeds, the environment in which it lives and reproduces. The line similar to the bellow.