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the tragic death of a bittern


Perhaps the cold, malnutrition, or perhaps some form of poisoning led to the death a beautiful and rare bittern. Who will he delivered, he found dying near an olive grove above the hills of Muggiano (La Spezia), where he died after a few hours. The owner of the fund, through his friend Victor, however, contacted us to deliver it. We in our turn we delivered it to Dr. Landini Elenora Provincial Police who in all likelihood will embalm the collection of the Museum of Glass taxidermic Cornoviglio.
We take this opportunity to draw, however, the board of the species.

SHEET Bittern
Botaurus stellaris (Linnaeus, 1758)
dialect (Val di Magra): Capon de Padua

SYSTEMATIC : Class: Aves, Order: CICONIIFORMES; Family: Ardeidae RECOGNITION AND IDENTIFICATION: E 'is distinguishable by its mimetic plumage, with brown bars and streaks, long-legged green, but especially for the powerful characteristic vocalizations that the male issue in the spring and can be heard even at great distances. When you hide among the aquatic vegetation assumes a particular position, with the long neck and beak pointing up. The flight is slow and below the wings are clear and large, round bar brown and black. It can be confused immature the Night Heron, significantly smaller and "stained" (Peterson et al., 1988).

DISTRIBUTION: Eurasian species. About three-quarters of the population of Europe are in Russia and Ukraine, while in north-western quotas are most conspicuous in France and the Netherlands. In Europe northern and eastern populations are migratory, while Westerners are more sedentary and their possible movements are associated with conditions particularly difficult. In Italy is partially sedentary and nest along the coastal dell'alto Adriatico (Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli- Venezia Giulia), della Puglia e della Toscana, mentre è raro e localizzato all'interno della Pianura Padana, dove è stato osservato in Piemonte ed in Emilia-Romagna. In Piemonte e Toscana sono stati segnalati negli ultimi anni nuovi siti di nidificazione ed un incremento delle coppie presenti (Puglisi et al., 1997). Non vi sono dati certi riguardanti la presenza del Tarabuso in Sardegna nel corso del periodo riproduttivo. In passato pare fossero decisamente più numerose le coppie che utilizzavano i territori italiani per la nidificazione, ma il decremento nel nostro Paese trova conferma nell'andamento generale registrato in Europa. Nel periodo invernale giungono segnalazioni from the mainland, Sardinia and Sicily, where, however, the presence of the species is rather irregular. Instead the constant is wintering in the Po Valley, especially in Piedmont, Lombardy and the upper Adriatic coast. (Brichetti, 1992).
presence in the province of La Spezia: Carazo (1887) reports it as "common step in the spring, low in autumn"; Biagioni (1994) reports it as present during the migratory and reproductive systems as a likely breeding but difficult to observe.

POWER: is highly variable in relation to location and season. It feeds mainly of fish belonging to a variety of different species (cyprinids, Esox lucius, Lepomis gibbosus), amphibian (Rana esculenta) of insects, adults and larvae, spiders, crustaceans and molluscs. It can also capture snakes, lizards, nestlings of birds (Rallus aquaticus, Tachybaptus ruficollis) and even small mammals (Neomys fodiens). In small quantities also consumes plant remains (Typha). Hunting alone, mostly at dusk or at night, in water bodies rich in vegetation to hide. To capture their prey slowly walking in shallow water, stopping for long periods waiting to spot their victim (Cramp and Simmons 1977, Voisin, 1991; Brichetti, 1992; del Hoyo et al., 1992).
HABITAT: It 's a species closely related to wet environments, secretive habits. during the breeding season attends wetlands and quiet with fresh water: ponds, lakes and banks of major rivers, reclaimed areas and expansion. Requires a dense emergent vegetation which leaves open spaces in which fishing, shallow water and minor fluctuations in water level. Rarely encountered in delta or estuary, whose waters are too salty, while demonstrating a strong preference for extended reeds. It nests in coastal wetlands, more rarely in the interior areas. During the winter, during migration, frequents wetlands little Extended: ponds, oxbow lakes, abandoned quarries, rice fields; wintering is the case in marshy areas with dense emergent vegetation: reeds, tifeti, scirpeti. Sometimes you also see in suburban areas (Cramp and Simmons 1977, Voisin, 1991; Brichetti, 1992, del Hoyo et al., 1992; Boano, 1997).
PLAY: the breeding season in Eurasia affects the months between March and June, but occasionally it can start even earlier in anticipation until January. In Italy the male may begin to occupy the territory in which the nest will be built as early as February, and spawning usually takes place from mid- March to late April. You have only one brood per year of 4-5 eggs (rarely 3-7), which are incubated by the female only after the deposition of the first. The male can be polygamous, coming to mate with five females in the same season. It 's kind of lonely character, whose males vigorously defend the territory. The nest is built by the female alone, not far from the water, on a bed of reeds and aquatic vegetation and is represented by a mound of reeds, sedges and other plant material. The central concavity can be covered with small branches and leaves of marsh plants. The chicks are cared for only by the mother. (Harrison, 1988; Voisin, 1991; Brichetti, 1992, del Hoyo et al., 1992).
SINGING: the line is similar to a roar and be heard up to five kilometers away. Listen to the song STATUS: Main causes of the decline of this species are due to the degradation and disappearance of wetlands suitable for nesting, and especially those characterized by extensive reed beds, a phenomenon that occurred mainly up to the years' 60-70s. Other threats are to be found in the disturbance caused by man, to which this species is very suspicious, is particularly sensitive to collisions with power cables and the unlawful killings. Add to this withdrawal of reckless chicks and eggs from the nests, helped by the lack of protection and protection of nesting areas. Furthermore, pollution is responsible for the decline of B. stellaris: the deteriorating water quality has caused a decrease in available prey, and then a decrease in reproductive success, and the abandonment of areas previously used for the abundance of food and vegetation in the middle of which shelter and build nests (Batten et al., 1990; Brichetti, 1992, del Hoyo et al., 1992, Tyler, 1994).
CONDUCT: During the breeding season is solitary and strongly defends the territory, while during the migration becomes gregarious, forming groups of forty individuals or more. sexes similar species, the male is larger (Brichetti, 1992).
REFERENCES
- National Ecological Network
- Wikipedia