Elected representatives in government are in charge of the policy and funding that can make or break saving threatened species. Their decisions and actions matter.
Hunter has or used to have 32 threatened animals within its boundaries. One of them is me, the Australasian Bittern.
We took care to attach appropriate images that are as close to representative of each species as our resources and the availability of images allowed. However, we could not ensure perfect accuracy in every case. Some images show species that share the same genus but not at the species or subspecies level.
Australasian Bittern
Botaurus poiciloptilus
Status: Endangered
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) lists threatened species under six categories:
Extinct, Extinct in the wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Conservation dependent. Read more about these categories
Botaurus poiciloptilus is found across 145 electorates.
The Australasian bittern is a secretive, stocky, heron-like bird, living in wetlands where it forages. Bitterns are very well camouflaged and can be difficult to spot in the reeds and rushes. On occasion they will even sway in time with reeds to blend into their surroundings. The distinctive booming call of males gives them away.¹
Explore more about this species on the Atlas of Living Australia
Adverse fire regimes
Changed surface and groundwater regimes
Climate change and severe weather
Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation
Invasive species and diseases
Explore more about the threats facing species on our Resources page.
- Bynoe's Wattle (Acacia bynoeana)
- Acacia dangarensis (Acacia dangarensis)
- Androcalva procumbens (Androcalva procumbens)
- Sandy Hollow Commersonia (Androcalva rosea)
- Charmhaven Apple (Angophora inopina)
- Trailing Woodruff (Asperula asthenes)
- Thick-lipped Spider-orchid (Caladenia tessellata)
- Wyong Midge Orchid 1 (Corunastylis insignis)
- Wyong Midge Orchid 2 (Corunastylis sp. Charmhaven )
- Leafless Tongue-orchid (Cryptostylis hunteriana)
- White-flowered Wax Plant (Cynanchum elegans)
- Bluegrass (Dichanthium setosum)
- Newcastle Doubletail (Diuris praecox)
- Black Gum (Eucalyptus aggregata)
- Camfield's Stringybark (Eucalyptus camfieldii)
- Slaty Red Gum (Eucalyptus glaucina)
- Earp's Gum (Eucalyptus parramattensis subsp. decadens)
- Pokolbin Mallee (Eucalyptus pumila)
- Eucalyptus sp. Howes Swamp Creek (Eucalyptus sp. Howes Swamp Creek )
- Grevillea evansiana (Grevillea evansiana)
- Small-flower Grevillea (Grevillea parviflora subsp. parviflora)
- Grevillea shiressii (Grevillea shiressii)
- Homoranthus darwinioides (Homoranthus darwinioides)
- Kennedia retrorsa (Kennedia retrorsa)
- Lasiopetalum longistamineum (Lasiopetalum longistamineum)
- Leionema lamprophyllum subsp. fractum (Leionema lamprophyllum subsp. fractum)
- Rylstone Bell (Leionema sympetalum)
- Biconvex Paperbark (Melaleuca biconvexa)
- Neoastelia spectabilis (Neoastelia spectabilis)
- Olearia cordata (Olearia cordata)
- Ozothamnus tesselatus (Ozothamnus tesselatus)
- Knotweed (Persicaria elatior)
- Hairy Geebung (Persoonia hirsuta)
- North Rothbury Persoonia (Persoonia pauciflora)
- Rufous Pomaderris (Pomaderris brunnea)
- Cotoneaster Pomaderris (Pomaderris cotoneaster)
- Denman Pomaderris (Pomaderris reperta)
- Bent Pomaderris (Pomaderris sericea)
- a leek-orchid (Prasophyllum sp. Wybong )
- Prostanthera cineolifera (Prostanthera cineolifera)
- Wollemi Mint-bush (Prostanthera cryptandroides subsp. cryptandroides)
- Prostanthera discolor (Prostanthera discolor)
- Mount Vincent Mintbush (Prostanthera stricta)
- Illawarra Greenhood (Pterostylis gibbosa)
- Smooth Bush-pea (Pultenaea glabra)
- Scrub Turpentine (Rhodamnia rubescens)
- Native Guava (Rhodomyrtus psidioides)
- Heath Wrinklewort (Rutidosis heterogama)
- Magenta Lilly Pilly (Syzygium paniculatum)
- Black-eyed Susan (Tetratheca juncea)
- Wyong Sun Orchid (Thelymitra adorata)
- Austral Toadflax (Thesium australe)
- Velleia perfoliata (Velleia perfoliata)
- Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis)
You are in federal electorate Hunter.