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The Great Matuku Muster

Nationwide synchronised counts of male Bittern booming.

Matuku-hurepo | Australasian Bittern are a highly mobile species capable of traveling from region to region - which means that you could count one in your wetland one day and the same Bittern could be counted again in another place the next day.  â€‹The population of Matuku here in Aotearoa is unknown - somewhere between  250-1000 birds are left we think... and they are on the brink of extinction.

 

You can play an important role in helping us to count Bittern during their breeding season when the males can be heard booming. To join us you will need to be able to count the males booming for 1-3 days each month on the weekend closest to the full moon in Sept/Oct or Oct/Nov, for 60-90mins after your local sunset.

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See below for results or resources, or for more information Contact us.

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Image Credit: Glenda Rees

2025 Muster

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Join us again for 1- 3 days around & including -6th Sept, Oct 4th and 8th Nov 2025. At dusk for 60 -90 minutes after your local sunset.

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For more details and key information for 2025 click here.

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REGISTER YOUR GROUP HERE FOR 2025 or email us lovebittern@gmail.com

Results

Resources

What motivates us...

At the current rate of population decline, we are the last generation of people who can save Bittern in their natural wetland homes. 

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We can save Bittern if we ACT NOW .

FACEBOOK

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CONTACT

Wendy Ambury

T: 022 526 1972

E: lovebittern@gmail.com

The Love Bittern Project galvanises community-led action on the ground to help save Australasian bittern | Matuku-hÅ«repo (Botaurus poiciloptilus)  and their wetland homes across Aotearoa, New Zealand.

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Every Bittern and every wetland counts!​

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Click here to find out more about us and what we do around the country.

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Contact us to join our Love Bittern community and find out how you can help.

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© 2025 Love Bittern Project
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