A rare bird, whose ‘booming’ call is considered to be the loudest in Britain, has seen a boost in numbers thanks to conservation efforts – and you can see and hear one for yourself in Lancashire.

The ‘booming’ bittern has seen another record-breaking year with 228 booming males counted in 2021.

This is up from 209 in 2019, according to new survey results from the RSPB and Natural England (recording in 2020 was affected by the coronavirus pandemic).

 

 

This member of the heron family went extinct across the UK in the 1870s due to a combination of over-hunting for food and draining of their wetland homes for agriculture.

Bitterns returned to Britain in the early 20th century, and restoration of wetlands has allowed their numbers to more than double in a decade, with over half on RSPB reserves.

Bitterns are well-camouflaged, shy birds that like to hide in reedbeds, so the most reliable way to count them in the breeding season is to listen for the male’s booming foghorn call which can be heard from three miles away.

Numbers were very low when the first annual surveys began in 1990 and in 1997 there were only 11 males across the whole UK, leaving them on the edge of a second national extinction.

Although still relatively low in numbers, the bird can be seen in nature reserves across the UK – including one in Lancashire.

Leighton Moss Nature Reserve in Carnforth is home to around six male bitterns.

Jon Carter, visitor experience manager at the nature reserve, said:  “Each male has its own ‘boom’ sound which is why we know we have around six here at the moment – which is great considering we only had one in the late 90s.

“Males make this booming noise which sounds like you’re blowing across the top of a milk bottle and it carries for 2 or 3km.

“Tourists can come here in spring and hear the weird sound of bitterns booming across the nature reserve - and hopefully see them from time to time.”

A key part of bringing bittern numbers back up was restoring, recreating, and protecting their wetland habitats.

Many wetlands were drained in the 19th and 20th centuries to make space for agriculture, leaving the bittern fewer and fewer places to breed.

Rewetting these spaces also helps prevent flooding and fights the climate crisis – wetlands are incredible carbon sponges, with coastal wetlands locking in more carbon that forests.

Jon said: “We have seen an increase as we have carried out some pro-active management work and conservation science.

“That’s down to the fact we have carried out a lot of habitat management to improve the wetlands and landscapes for the bitterns to nest.

“Spring is a fabulous time to visit us – we have family events on and trails to visit. Come and liaise with wildlife.”

Simon Wotton, RSPB Senior Conservation Scientist, said: “The bittern’s recovery shows how quickly nature can bounce back when given the chance – and we all benefit from creating healthy spaces for wildlife.

“People get such joy from hearing the bittern’s mighty foghorn-like song, and their wetland home also protects people from flooding and helps to soak up carbon. It’s a win-win for wildlife and people, and we hope that one day the boom of the bittern will be heard around the UK once more.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all the volunteers, conservation site staff, and landowners who monitored sites in 2020 and 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Without them and everyone who uploaded their recordings to online sources we would have lost invaluable information about these endangered and magnificent birds."

Other than Leighton Moss in Lancashire, here are some other places to experience them first-hand:

  • Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire
  • Ham Wall, Somerset Avalon Marshes
  • Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk
  • Minsmere, Suffolk
  • St Aidan’s, West Yorkshire
  • Cors Ddyga, Anglesey, Wales