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Bittern BAP report

Bittern among reeds
Bitterns depend entirely on reedbed habitats

What are we trying to achieve?

The Government agreed a Biodiversity Action Plan for this species in 1995. The targets for this plan were revised in 2006 and are as follows:

  • Increase the population to 60 booming males by 2010
  • Increase the number of sites supporting booming male bitterns to 32 by 2010
  • Increase the number of booming male bitterns in the UK on inland sites (ie sites not at risk from saline intrusion) to 24 by 2010
  • Restore bittern range to > 4 occupied 10km squares in Wales by 2020


The RSPB is actively contributing to these targets through work on its own nature reserves, by carrying out research and through advice to other site managers. Work on bitterns is closely linked to work to rehabilitate and re-create reedbed habitats.

What is the RSPB doing to help?

In 2006 the RSPB carried out a wide range of work to help the bittern, including the following:

  • Work continued on the major reedbed creation work at Needingworth, Cambridgeshire. This scheme, a partnership between RSPB, Hanson plc and Cambridgeshire County Council, involves the careful restoration of a major sand and gravel quarry to deliver around 500ha of reedbed over the next 30 years
  • The second bittern EU LIFE project was completed. This provided funding for bittern and reedbed conservation work in the UK, including reedbed creation, rehabilitation and enhancement. Work was carried out at 19 sites across England, including 15 RSPB reserves, to develop a strategic network of reedbeds for bitterns to enlarge their range and population size. This project set a target of increasing bitterns on the sites involved from 30 males in 2001 to 65 within ten years of the end of the project
  • Monitoring of breeding males and nesting females continued The annual estimate of booming males is produced as part of Action for Birds in England, a conservation partnership between Natural England and the RSPB
  • A project investigating the health of water bodies within reedbeds, including research into the development of fish populations, has provided information on the establishment and maturation of new reedbeds for bitterns on RSPB reserves. The results of this work will assist our understanding and ongoing monitoring of the development of created wetland habitats
  • Continuing to provide international advice and practical help
  • A new handbook ‘The Bittern in Europe: a guide to species and habitat management’ was completed with our German and French partners and will be circulated throughout the EU

Bittern numbers 1994-2006
Bittern numbers 1994-2006

Summary of progress

Good progress has been made against the UK BAP objectives for bittern.

The decline in population and range was stemmed by 2000 and by 2004 the population had increased for the seventh year in a row to 55 booming males at a total of 30 sites (from 19 males at 10 sites in 1995 when the plan was published). Although overall progress does remain good, there was a second successive decline in 2006 to 44 boomers at 27 sites, emphasizing the need for continued effort. In contrast to this wider decline, the number of boomers on RSPB reserves increased from 17 to 19 (43% of the UK population).

Colonisation of newly created reedbeds has continued, following the first recording of a booming male on a newly created reedbed in 2003.

The 2020 target could be met if the rate of reedbed rehabilitation and creation is maintained.

Has our work been effective?

It is believed that the RSPB programme of bittern work has had a major effect on progress towards the BAP targets.

RSPB nature reserves have been at the forefront of bittern conservation. In 2006,a significant percentage of the population – 43% of booming males and 59% of nesting females – occurred on RSPB reserves. Reedbed rehabilitation and management has led to an increase in the number of booming male bitterns at Minsmere (9 in 2006 with 8 nesting females). The area of reedbed now under RSPB management has increased to over 1,400 ha (20% of the UK resource). A further 200 ha of reedbed are in the process of being created on RSPB reserves with an additional 753 ha of this habitat planned.

The RSPB leads the Bittern EU Life Project and co-ordinates the sharing of information between sites.

RSPB research and monitoring work has provided a sound foundation for encouraging appropriate management of existing reedbeds and the creation of new bittern habitat.

What do we plan to do next?

The RSPB is committed to further work to assist the recovery of the bittern; this includes:

  • Continue development on reserves of wet reedbed for bitterns, and maximise food availability by improving fish access into each site by installing eel passes etc
  • Continue to acquire land for reedbed creation away from the coastline, as a complement to Government action for bitterns
  • Continue advisory work, including reedbed management training courses and regular workshops for reedbed managers
  • Continue to improve the use of grazing marsh ditch systems as feeding areas.
  • Continue monitoring of the establishment and maturation of new reedbeds on RSPB reserves, the development of eel and fish populations and water quality
  • Continue to monitor bitterns as a measure of success of management work
  • Continue bittern research with additional focus on ‘fish/hydrological’ research and monitoring, particularly on newly created/rehabilitated sites
  • Undertake major rehabilitation work at Leighton Moss to improve the sustainability of the bittern population at this isolated site
  • Increase the area of reedbed managed by extensive grazing, e.g. Konik ponies experiment at Minsmere
  • Continue to raise awareness of the species through media initiatives, featuring work to create reedbeds and highlighting successes

What are the constraints to fully achieving the targets?

Some issues affecting bitterns are beyond the RSPB’s control or are factors that we can only influence indirectly. The two most significant blocks to achieving the Biodiversity Action Plan targets in our view are:

  • Securing sufficient funding for and finding suitable sites for reedbed creation work
  • Obtaining a sufficient understanding of the factors determining the prey base for bitterns in reedbed sites

Additionally, the threat of sea-level rise remains high while the core of the breeding population remains close to the East Anglian coast. 

Acknowledgements

The RSPB has worked closely with a number of individuals and organisations during the year to further the conservation of the bittern.

We would like to acknowledge the contribution of EU LIFE, Natural England, Heritage Lottery Fund, Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency, Hansons, Tarmac, Cherwell District Council, WREN, DEFRA, Anglian Water, Lancashire Waste Services, Wyvern Waste, Somerset County Council, Wessex Water, Cambridge Water Company and Brett Aggregates to work on this species.

Our partners in the current EU LIFE project are:
Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, Natural England and the Broads Authority.

Last modified: 29 August 2007