Get your group involved in the nationwide synchronised count of male Australasian bittern booming.
Matuku-hurepo / Australasian Bittern are a highly mobile species capable of traveling from region to region – which means that you could count one in your wetland one day and the same bittern could be counted again in another place the next day. The population of matuku here in Aotearoa is unknown – somewhere between 250-1000 birds are left we think… and they are on the brink of extinction.
You can play an important role in helping to count bittern during their breeding season when the males can be heard booming. To join in you will need to be able to count the males booming for 1-3 days each month on the weekend closest to the full moon in Sept/Oct or Oct/Nov, for 60-90mins after your local sunset.
The last dates for this years Muster are 7th,8th, and 9th of November
Groups are encouraged to carry out 3 nights of monitoring if possible.
Register your group here or email the Love Bittern Project to find out more information lovebittern@gmail.com
