Somerset Wildlife Trust science event on UK's loudest bird

Project Bittern invites Somerset's community to listen for the bitterns' distinct calls from March 14 to April 14.

This effort hopes to shed light on the birds' population and their whereabouts in the region.

This UK's loudest bird, known for their signature 'boom', emanates from male bitterns during spring and can be heard up to an astonishing three miles away.

The major comeback story of the bittern, which had once disappeared from the backdrop of the UK, added gravitas to this event.

It's no secret that Somerset Levels now hosts one of the largest populations of the bird, flourishing after their drastic decline due to habitat loss and hunting.

Mark Blake, senior reserves manager at Somerset Wildlife said: "Somerset is home to one of the largest populations of bitterns in the country.

"We know these birds are present on the Somerset Levels, but if fledging successfully, they're likely to be moving out and settling elsewhere."

He continued: "Through this project, we want to find out two things: where these birds are going, and also how many there could be in Somerset — we already conduct landscape-scale bittern surveys on the Somerset Levels, but the more data we collect on these birds, the better, and that’s why we want as many people as possible to get involved in this exciting new citizen science project!"

For those willing to participate, free spotter guides are available for download via the Somerset Wildlife Trust website.

People can register for the project and submit their findings on iNaturalist, assisting Somerset Wildlife Trust to create a more comprehensive understanding of the bittern's status in the county.