General characteristics

Description habitat

Occurrence

The bittern prefers shallow water with thick and extensive vegetation, preferably older reed vegetations. The species sometimes nest in small reed borders. It avoids waters that are completely surrounded by forest or swamp forest. They search for food in the vicinity of their nests, near quit lakes and ditches with thick border vegetation. The bittern can be found throughout The Netherlands, the largest number nests in lowland peat soils and the Gelderse Poort #2.. The great bittern only occurs in low lying marshy grounds covered with large reed fields #1.

Food habitat and strategy

It mainly eats fish, amphibians, insects, but also small birds, mammals and aquatic invertebrates #1.

Dose-effect relations

See also general dose-effect relations for breeding and resting (in Dutch).

Depth (m)	HSI
0	0.0
0.1	0.4
0.15	1
0.3	1
0.6	0

Reference: #3

Width (m)	HSI
< 10	0
> 10	1

Reference: #3

proportion (km/ha)	HSI
< 0.1	0.4
0.1 - 0.15	0.8
> 0.15	1

Reference: #3

Uncertainty and validation

These dose-effect relations have not been validated.

Area of application

Fresh waters and salt waters.

Exemplary project

There is no exemplary project.

References

1 http://www.soortenbank.nl/
2 http://www.synbiosys.alterra.nl/natura2000/
3 HSI-model Rietzanger