Diurnal foraging in short pasture by the Endangered Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) on Kangaroo Island, Australia

The Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) is a globally endangered species that has undergone a decline in population associated with loss of wetlands and changes to hydrology. Australasian Bitterns typically utilise wetlands composed of reeds, sedges, rushes and other fringing or emergent vegetation. Here, I document the use of short open pasture and shallow ephemeral wetland with no fringing or emergent vegetation, on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, during the day. The observation provides further evidence that the Australasian Bitterns forage diurnally, especially in winter. This is only the fourth record of this species for Kangaroo Island, and reasons for this paucity of records are explored in light of recent research suggesting movement from the species’ stronghold in the Riverina of the Murray-Darling Basin to coastal wetlands.