Description:

A large, heavily-built tawny bittern with blackish cap, heavily streaked plumage, pale, similar to juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron. Golden-brown and cryptically patterned, with black crown and moustachial stripe. Juvenile very much like adult but crown and moustachial streak brownish, less conspicuous, also upperparts less strongly marked.

Distribution:

Uncommon passage migrant migrant through the western parts of Gilgit-Baltistan. Occurs around freshwater or brackish marshes, lakes, pools and rivers with surrounding cultivation, reed-beds or vegetation. Found up to 2000m.

Behavior:

Feeds alone, usually in pools hidden away in dense vegetation, and vigorously defends foraging territory. Forages walking slowly in shallow water, interspersed with periods of standing. Mostly crepuscular and nocturnal. Very variable diet. Mainly fish and amphibians; other important items include insects and their larvae, spiders, crustaceans; also takes worms and small vertebrates.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Great Bittern in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Great Bittern

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.