Breeding occurs from June to February and this is when the males can be heard ‘booming’ like a foghorn in the evenings or on dull days. The female makes a platform nest out of reeds 20-30cm above the waterline. Three to five eggs are laid from August to December and these are incubated for around 25 days. Nestlings are found September to February and are in the nest for 7 weeks. Fledging occurs November to May. Only the female rears the young.

A new ‘Matuku Mahi’ initiative is now gearing up across Northland involving Kiwi Coast, the Department of Conservation, Northland Regional Council, Fish & Game and the QEII National Trust. The aim is to work together to find out how many bittern we have left and what we can do to help boost their numbers back to a healthy and robust population.

You can help by:

• Creating and restoring wetlands within your local area. Bittern / Matuku have lost 90% of their habitat and the remaining 10% is degraded and under threat.
• Fencing off existing wetlands and waterways to provide permanently wet areas and a good food supply year round
• Encouraging native wetland plants like rāupo and reeds (Juncus species), and planting a buffer around the edges of ponds, wetlands and streams.
• Controlling predators in and around any sites Bittern / Matuku may visit
• Advocating to protect wetlands and improve the quality of our waterways

The Northland Regional Council’s Environment Fund can help with the costs of wetland fencing. Find out more here: https://www.nrc.govt.nz/your-council/work-with-us/funding-and-awards/for-landowners/environment-fund/

Get involved!

1. Report bittern sightings, calls and known regular bittern locations either via the NRC dedicated Bittern Encounter Form or iNaturalist
2. Take part in the September – November Northland Matuku Counts – training provided!

To find out more contact Ngaire at Kiwi Coast