The footage was captured by National Trust’s clerk of works and wildlife photographer John Ovenden using a trail camera at the Wetland Centre.

Known for its camouflaged plumage and secretive nature, the Bittern is a type of heron with brown feathers and dark markings that is often called a “ghost bird” because it is so rarely seen.

Despite this label, male Bitterns are recognised as Britain’s loudest birds, producing a distinctive booming call that can travel up to three miles during mating season.

In the UK, the Bittern faced extinction in the 1870s due to the draining of their wetland habitats for agriculture and being hunted for food. Thanks to conservation efforts, there are now 80 male breeding Bitterns recorded across the UK, according to the RSPB.

“The Wetland Centre is probably one of the best places to observe the Bittern in the UK,” the National Trust for Jersey said. “Whilst we currently only have two males that appear each year, the Trust is ever hopeful that with the growth in numbers in the UK, we will hear the boom locally as our male Bitterns look for and find a mate.”

The video of the bird has garnered 237,000 views, 522 shares and nearly 10,000 ‘likes’ on Facebook and continues to be shared worldwide across north America, the Middle East and Europe.

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