The Bittern are Booming
The Australasian bittern, matuku, is one of our rare birds. A solitary and secretive creature, their numbers are low, however several years ago a citizen science project, the Matuku Muster, was started to try and find out just how many there might be in Aotearoa. In the spring the booming of the male bird can be heard, their way of finding a female to breed with in the wetlands they inhabit. You will see there is an official Matuku Muster event (details here), however as well as that, there will be other searchs for this elusive bird across Southland. One of those is at the Waiau Trust’s Rakatu Wetland on the Blackmount-Redcliffs Rd. You are invited to join with Waiau Trust members and Wendy Ambury, national leader of the Matuku Muster, to listen for the bittern on the Saturday evening and Sunday morning, 31st October/1st November, at Rakatu and other nearby wetlands, plus the offer to stay at the nearby Te Koawa Lodge for the Saturday night. If you would like to join in the Rakatu Matuku Muster, please contact Roger Hodson, Waiau Trust Operations Manager on 027 667 1542 or email [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]. Check out the Rakatu Wetlands here.
Posted on: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
