Botaurus pinnatus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The pinnated bittern (Botaurus pinnatus), also known as the South American bittern, is a large member of the heron family (Ardeidae) found in the New World tropics. Like the other Botaurus bitterns, its plumage is mostly buffy-brown and cryptically patterned. Though it is a widespread species, it is rarely seen – presumably due to its skulking habits – and much about its life history remains little known.
The pinnated bittern is a large heron, measuring between 25–30 in (64–76 cm) with a weight that ranges from 554 to 1,157 g (1.2 to 2.6 lb); males typically weigh considerably more than females. Sexes are similarly plumaged, but females tend to be smaller than males and have brown instead of black on the tail.
Both adults and immature birds are generally buffy, though heavily marked with cryptic patterning. Juveniles tend to have a somewhat more reddish ground color. The throat is unmarked white, the foreneck is white broadly streaked with pale brown, and the rest of the neck is buff with thin black barring. The breast and belly are white with broad pale brown streaks, while the back is buff, heavily streaked and barred with black. Rectrices are black in males and... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lago de Yojoa | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 2 | Caroni Swamp | 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago | |
| 3 | Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 4 | Bastimentos Island National Marine Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 5 | Palo Verde National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 6 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 7 | Tortuguero National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guayaquil | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pinnated Bittern sighting in Tortuguero National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 329th most-seen of the 348 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pinnated Bittern in Tortuguero National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pinnated Bittern sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
7th of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Pinnated Bittern sightings, Tortuguero National Park ranks 7th at under 5%. The best odds are in Lago de Yojoa (Honduras, about 10%), Caroni Swamp (Trinidad and Tobago, under 5%) and Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park (Honduras, under 5%).
Same family: Ardeidae
The closest relatives of the Pinnated Bittern that you can see in Tortuguero National Park (family Ardeidae, Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns) are Little Blue Heron (about 60%), Bare-throated Tiger Heron (about 60%) and Green Heron (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pinnated Bittern is recorded against all the birds logged in Tortuguero National Park (8 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
