Editing Botaurus

{{Short description|Genus of birds}}

{{Automatic taxobox 
| name = ''Botaurus''
| image = Botaurus lentiginosus 28079.JPG
| image_caption = [[American bittern]] (''Botaurus lentiginosus'')
| taxon = Botaurus
| authority = [[James Francis Stephens|Stephens]], 1819
| type_species = ''[[Botaurus stellaris|Ardea stellaris]]''
| type_species_authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758
| synonyms = Ixobrychus {{small|Billberg, 1828}}
}}

'''''Botaurus''''' is a [[genus (biology)|genus]] of [[bittern]]s, a group of wading [[bird|birds]] in the [[heron]] family Ardeidae. The genus includes species that were previously placed in the genus ''Ixobrychus''.

==Taxonomy==
The genus ''Botaurus'' was introduced in 1819 by the English naturalist [[James Francis Stephens]].<ref name=stephens>{{ cite book | last=Stephens | first=James Francis | author-link=James Francis Stephens | year=1819 | title=General Zoology, or Systematic Natural History | volume=11, Part 2 | location=London | publisher=Kearsley et al. | pages=592, 595 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36848863 }}</ref>  Stephens did not specify the [[type species]] but this was designated as ''Ardea stellaris'' [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] ([[Eurasian bittern]]) by [[George Robert Gray|George Gray]] in 1840.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Gray | first=George Robert | author-link=George Robert Gray | year=1840 | title=A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus | location=London | publisher=R. and J.E. Taylor | page=66 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13668983 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr | editor2-last=Cottrell | editor2-first=G. William | year=1979 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=1 | edition=2nd | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=242 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16108882 }}</ref> The name ''Botaurus'' is [[Medieval Latin]] for a bittern. The word combines Latin ''bos'' meaning "oxen" (compare ''butire'' "to boom") and ''taurus'' meaning "bull".<ref>{{ cite web | last=Jobling | first=James A. | title=Botaurus | work=The Key to Scientific Names | url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/key-to-scientific-names/search?q=Botaurus | publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology | access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref> In describing the Eurasian bittern Stephens wrote: "At this period the male makes a singular noise, which is compared with the deep bellowing of a bull, and is continued for about two months:&nbsp;...".<ref name=stephens/><ref name = oedbitt>{{cite web| title= Bittern (1)| work= Oxford English Dictionary| url= http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/19574?rskey=Qgen84&result=1#eid | publisher=Oxford University Press | access-date =16 May 2016}}{{subscription required}}</ref>

The genus formerly contained fewer species. [[Molecular genetic]] studies found that the genus ''Ixobrychus'' was [[paraphyletic]] with respect to ''Botaurus''.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Päckert | first1=M. | last2=Hering | first2=J. | last3=Fuchs | first3=E. | last4=Barthel | first4=P. | last5=Heim | first5=W. | date=2014 | title=Genetic barcoding confirms first breeding record of the Yellow Bittern, ''Ixobrychus sinensis'', (Aves: Pelecaniformes, Ardeidae) in the Western Palearctic | journal=Vertebrate Zoology | volume=64 | issue=2 | pages=251–260 | doi=10.3897/vz.64.e31492 | doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Hruska | first1=J.P. | last2=Holmes | first2=J. | last3=Oliveros | first3=C. | last4=Shakya | first4=S. | last5=Lavretsky | first5=P. | last6=McCracken | first6=K.G. | last7=Sheldon | first7=F.H. | last8=Moyle | first8=R.G. | date=2023 | title=Ultraconserved elements resolve the phylogeny and corroborate patterns of molecular rate variation in herons (Aves: Ardeidae) | journal=Ornithology | volume=140 | issue=2 | page=ukad005 | doi=10.1093/ornithology/ukad005}}</ref> To resolve the [[monophyletic|non-monophyly]] the genus ''Ixobrychus'' was merged into ''Botaurus'' which has priority.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Chesser | first1=R.T. | last2=Billerman | first2=S.M. | last3=Burns | first3=K.J. | last4=Cicero | first4=C. | last5=Dunn | first5=J.L. | last6=Hernández-Baños | first6=B.E. | last7=Jiménez | first7=R.A. | last8=Johnson | first8=O. | last9=Kratter | first9=A.W. | last10=Mason | first10=N.A. | last11=Rasmussen | first11=P.C. | last12=Remsen | first12=J.V.J. | date=2024 | title=Sixty-fifth Supplement to the American Ornithological Society's Check-list of North American Birds | journal=Ornithology | volume=141 | issue=3 | pages=ukae019 | doi=10.1093/ornithology/ukae019 | doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=August 2024 | title=Hoatzin, New World vultures, Secretarybird, raptors | work=IOC World Bird List Version 14.2  | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/raptors/| publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=20 August 2024 }}</ref>

The bitterns are large chunky, heavily streaked brown birds which breed in large [[reed bed]]s. Almost uniquely for predatory birds, the female rears the young alone.<ref>{{cite journal | last1= Sibly | first1= Richard M. | last2 = Witt | first2=C.C. | last3=Wright | first3=N.A. | last4=Venditti | first4=C. | last5=Jetz | first5= W. | last6=Brown | first6=J.H. | year= 2012 | title= Energetics, lifestyle, and reproduction in birds | journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America  | volume=109 | issue= 27 | pages=10937–10941 | doi =10.1073/pnas.1206512109 | doi-access= free | pmid= 22615391 | pmc=3390878 }}</ref> They are secretive and well-camouflaged, and despite their size they can be difficult to observe except for occasional flight views. They eat fish, frogs, and similar aquatic life.<ref name=hbw>{{ cite book | last1=Martínez-Vilalta | first1=A. | last2=Motis | first2=A. | year=1992 | chapter=Family Ardeida (Herons) | editor1-last=del Hoyo | editor1-first=J. | editor2-last=Elliott | editor2-first=A. | editor3-last=Sargatal | editor3-first=J. | title=Handbook of the Cornel | volume=1: Ostrich to Ducks | location=Barcelona, Spain | publisher=Lynx Edicions | isbn=84-87334-10-5 | pages=376–429 | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse/page/376/mode/1up | chapter-url-access=registration }}</ref>

==Species==
The genus contains 14 species, this includes the [[New Zealand bittern]] which is now extinct.<ref name=ioc/>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Image !! Scientific name !! Common Name!! Distribution
|-
|[[File:Eurasian Bittern - Torrile - Italy 4528 (15409347121).jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus stellaris'' ||[[Eurasian bittern]]||[[File:Botaurus stellaris map.svg|150px]]<br>Europe and Asia from the British Isles, Sweden and Finland eastwards to Sakhalin Island in eastern Siberia and Hokkaido Island in Japan
|-
|[[File:Botaurus poiciloptilus (Australasian Bittern; Matuku) (48719316081).jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus poiciloptilus'' || [[Australasian bittern]]||[[File:Botaurus poiciloptilus map.svg|150px]]<br>Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Ouvea
|-
|[[File:American Bittern in California.JPG|120px]] || ''Botaurus lentiginosus'' || [[American bittern]] || [[File:Botaurus lentiginosus map.svg|150px]]<br>the U.S. Gulf Coast states, all of Florida into the Everglades, the Caribbean islands and parts of Central America
|-
|[[File:Botaurus pinnatus.jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus pinnatus''|| [[Pinnated bittern]] or South American bittern||[[File:Botaurus pinnatus map.svg|150px]]<br>Mexico to northern Argentina, though there are few records for Guatemala and Honduras
|-
|[[File:Ixobrychus involucris.jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus involucris'' (formerly placed in ''Ixobrychus'')||[[Stripe-backed bittern]]|| [[File:Ixobrychus involucris map.svg|150px]] <br>Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and the island of Trinidad, and in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Brazil
|-
|[[File:Least Bittern Toronto 2018-05-26-2.jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus exilis'' (formerly placed in ''Ixobrychus'')|| [[Least bittern]]||[[File:Ixobrychus exilis map.svg|150px]]<br>southern Canada to northern Argentina
|-
|[[File:Black bittern .jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus flavicollis'' (formerly placed in ''Ixobrychus'')|| [[Black bittern]]|| [[File:Dupetor flavicollis map.svg|150px]] <br>tropical Asia from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka east to China, Indonesia, and Australia
|-
|[[File:Watching (26153786575).jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus cinnamomeus'' (formerly placed in ''Ixobrychus'')|| [[Cinnamon bittern]]|| [[File:Ixobrychus cinnamomeus map.svg|150px]]<br>tropical and subtropical Asia from India east to China and Indonesia
|-
|[[File:Schrenk's Bittern fem - Kang Kra Chan - Thailand S4E4834 (14235609026).jpg|120px]] ||  ''Botaurus eurhythmus'' (formerly placed in ''Ixobrychus'')|| [[Von Schrenck's bittern]]||  [[File:Ixobrychus eurhythmus map.svg|150px]]<br>Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Laos, China and Siberia
|-
|[[File:Dwarf bittern, Ixobrychus sturmii, at Harvey's Pans, Savuti in Chobe National Park, Botswana (31974132380).jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus sturmii''  (formerly placed in ''Ixobrychus'')|| [[Dwarf bittern]]||[[File:Ixobrychus sturmii map.svg|150px]]<br> Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Spain (the Canary Islands), Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
|-
|[[File:Ixobrychus minutus 3 (Marek Szczepanek).jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus minutus'' (formerly placed in ''Ixobrychus'') ||[[Little bittern]] || [[File:IxobrychusMinutusIUCNvr2018 2.png|150px]]<br> Africa, central and southern Europe, western and southern Asia, and Madagascar
|-
|[[File:YELLOW BITTERN.jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus sinensis'' (formerly placed in ''Ixobrychus'')|| [[Yellow bittern]]||[[File:Ixobrychus sinensis map.svg|150px]]<br> northern Indian Subcontinent, east to the Russian Far East, Japan and Indonesia.
|-
|[[File:Australian Little Bittern Sherwood Nov01.jpg|120px]] || ''Botaurus dubius'' (formerly placed in ''Ixobrychus'')|| [[Black-backed bittern]]||[[File:Ixobrychus dubius map.svg|150px]]<br> Australia and southern New Guinea
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Pelecaniformes genera|A.|state=collapsed}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q739050}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Botaurus| ]]
[[Category:Bitterns|*]]
[[Category:Bird genera]]


{{Pelecaniformes-stub}}