Eurasian Bittern

The Eurasian bittern is a thickset heron whose pale buff-brown plumage is heavily streaked and barred with dark brown and black. This disruptive pattern blends with upright reeds, and elongated feathers on the crown, neck and breast can be raised. The bird has a powerful greenish-yellow bill, yellow iris and greenish legs. Adults measure roughly sixty-nine to eighty-one centimetres, span about one hundred to 130 centimetres, and weigh approximately 0.87–1.94 kilograms, with males larger than females. (Wikipedia, general species account)

This secretive species usually remains within reed beds and dense vegetation beside water, so the male's deep booming spring call often reveals it more readily than a sighting. It eats fish, amphibians, crustaceans, insects, small mammals and young birds. The nest is placed among reeds at a water margin. The female incubates the eggs and feeds the chicks alone; young leave the nest at around two weeks but continue receiving care until they are fully fledged near six weeks. (Wikipedia, general species account)