Pinnated Bittern (Botaurus pinnatus)
About the Pinnated Bittern
The pinnated bittern (Botaurus pinnatus), also known as the South American bittern, is a large member of the heron family (Ardeidae) found in the New World tropics. Like the other Botaurus bitterns, its plumage is mostly buffy-brown and cryptically patterned. Though it is a widespread species, it is rarely seen – presumably due to its skulking habits – and much about its life history remains little known. The pinnated bittern is a large heron, measuring between 25–30 in (64–76 cm) with a weight that ranges from 554 to 1,157 g (1.2 to 2.6 lb); males typically weigh considerably more than females. Sexes are similarly plumaged, but females tend to be smaller than males and have brown instead of black on the tail.
No audio on this page yet
We only publish recordings we may use commercially, because this site is supported by ads. xeno-canto lists 20 recordings for this species: 8 CC BY-NC-SA · 3 CC BY-NC-ND. None of them permits commercial use, so there is no player here — the page is kept as a profile so the bird is not missing from the guide.
As soon as someone uploads a freely licensed recording, we mirror it and the player appears here.
Listed as recorded in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia in the xeno-canto catalogue.
Related species you can hear
- American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusrecording
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellarisrecording
This species has no recording here yet — these relatives do, so you can hear what the family sounds like.