The food and foraging rate of an Australasian Bittern.

The article examines the feeding and foraging behaviour of Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus, a waterbird that is listed as endangered in Australia and New Zealand. As the bird forage during daylight hours, its primary prey species was the Growling Grass Frog Litoria raniformis. A description of the hunting behaviour of the waterbird and its manner of preparing the frogs for swallowing including dunking them in water before being swallowed is provided. It notes the significance of the predator-prey relationship between the Bittern and the Growling Grass Frog.