Saving The British Bitterns Reading Answers

Saving The British Bitterns Reading Answers for the reading passage 2 of the IELTS Cambridge Official guide test is as follows.

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Solution for Saving The British Bitterns

14. ii	18. vi	22. (being) shy/shyness	26. Otter and brownhare
15. v	19. iii	23. starvation	27. B
16. i	20. iv	24. (native) fish
17. viii	21. 1950s	25. Partnership project/ network (of sites)/ partnership project network

After checking the answers for Saving the British Bitterns, refer to the solutions for reading passage 1: Ancient Chinese Chariots at the end of this post.

Saving The British Bitterns Reading Passage

Saving The British Bitterns reading passage has answer locations that enables you to identify the correct answer in reading passage 2. During the IELTS reading test, ensure you complete this task in 20 minutes.

Saving The British Bitterns

A. Breeding bitterns became extinct in the UK by 1886 but, following re-colonisation early last century, numbers rose to a peak of about 70 booming (singing) males in the 1950s, falling to fewer than 20 by the 1990s. In the late 1980s it was clear that the bittern was in trouble, but there was little information on which to base recovery actions.

B. Bitterns have cryptic plumage and a shy nature, usually remaining hidden within the cover of reedbed vegetation. Our first challenge was to develop standard methods to monitor their numbers. The boom of the male bittern is its most distinctive feature during the breeding season, and we developed a method to count them using the sound patterns unique to each individual. This not only allows the US to be much more certain of the number of booming males in the UK, but also enables us to estimate local survival of males from one year to the next.

C. Our first direct understanding of the habitat needs of breeding bitterns came from comparisons of reedbed sites that had lost their booming birds with those that retained them. This research showed that bitterns had been retained in reedbeds where the natural process of succession, or drying out, had been slowed through management. Based on this work, broad recommendations on how to manage and rehabilitate reedbeds for bitterns were made, and funding was provided through the EU LIFE Fund to manage 13 sites within the core breeding range. This project, though led by the RSPB, involved many other organisations.

D. To refine these recommendations and provide fine-scale, quantitative habitat prescriptions on the bitterns’ preferred feeding habitat, we radio-tracked male bitterns on the RSPB’s Minsmere and Leighton Moss reserves. This showed clear preferences for feeding in the wetter reedbed margins, particularly within the reedbed next to larger open pools. The average home range sizes of the male bitterns we followed (about 20 hectares) provided a good indication of the area of reedbed needed when managing or creating habitat for this species.

Female bitterns undertake all the incubation and care of the young, so it was important to understand their needs as well. Over the course of our research, we located 87 bittern nests and found that female bitterns preferred to nest in areas of continuous vegetation, well into the reedbed, but where water was still present during the driest part of the breeding season.

E. The success of the habitat prescriptions developed from this research has been spectacular. For instance, at Minsmere, booming bittern numbers gradually increased from one to 10 following reedbed lowering, a management technique designed to halt the drying out process. After a low point of 11 booming males in 1997, bittern numbers in Britain responded to all the habitat management work and started to increase for the first time since the 1950s.

F. The final phase of research involved understanding the diet, survival and dispersal of bittern chicks. To do this we fitted small radio tags to young bittern chicks in the nest, to determine their fate through to fledging and beyond. Many chicks did not survive to fledging and starvation was found to be the most likely reason for their demise. The fish prey fed to chicks was dominated by those species penetrating into the reed edge. So, an important element of recent studies (including a PhD with the University of Hull) has been the development of recommendations on habitat and water conditions to promote healthy native fish populations.

G. Once independent, radio-tagged young bitterns were found to seek out new sites during their first winter; a proportion of these would remain on new sites to breed if the conditions were suitable. A second EU LIFE funded project aims to provide these suitable sites in new areas. A network of 19 sites developed through this partnership project will secure a more sustainable UK bittern population with successful breeding outside of the core area, less vulnerable to chance events and sea level rise.

H. By 2004, the number of booming male bitterns in the UK had increased to 55, with almost all of the increase being on those sites undertaking management based on advice derived from our research. Although science has been at the core of the bittern story, success has only been achieved through the trust, hard work and dedication of all the managers, owners and wardens of sites that have implemented, in some cases very drastic, management to secure the future of this wetland species in the UK.

The constructed bunds and five major sluices now control the water level over 82 ha, with a further 50 ha coming under control in the winter of 2005/06. Reed establishment has principally used natural regeneration or planted seedlings to provide small core areas that will in time expand to create a bigger reed area. To date nearly 275,000 seedlings have been planted and reed cover is extensive. Over 3 km of new ditches have been formed, 3.7 km of existing ditch have been re-profiled and 2.2 km of old meander (former estuarine features) have been cleaned out.

I. Bitterns now regularly winter on the site with some indication that they are staying longer into the spring. No breeding has yet occurred but a booming male was present in the spring of 2004. A range of wildfowl breeds, as well as a good number of reedbed passerines including reed bunting, reed, sedge and grasshopper warblers. Numbers of wintering shovelers have increased so that the site now holds a UK important wintering population. Malltraeth Reserve now forms part of the UK network of key sites for water vole (a UK priority species) and 12 monitoring transects have been established. Otter and brown-hare occur on the site as does the rare plant, pillwort.

Saving The British Bitterns Reading Questions

Questions 14 - 20

The reading passage has nine paragraphs, A - I

List of Headings

1. research findings into habitats and decisions made
2. fluctuation in bittern number
3. protect the young bittern
4. international cooperation works
5. began in calculation of the number
6. importance of food
7. research has been successful
8. research into the reedbed
9. reserve established holding bittern in winter

Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-I from the list.
Write the correct number, i-viii, in boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet.

14. Paragraph A
15. Paragraph B
16. Paragraph C
17. Paragraph D
18. Paragraph F
19. Paragraph G
20. Paragraph H

Also Read: IELTS Reading Matching Headings

Questions 21 - 26

Answer the questions below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

21. When did the bird of bittern reach its peak of number?
22. What does the author describe the bittern’s character?
23. What is the main cause for the chick bittern’s death?
24. What is the main food for chick bittern?
25. What system does it secure for the stability of the bittern’s population?
26. Besides bittern and rare vegetation, what mammal does the protection plan benefit?

Also Read: IELTS Reading Short Answer Questions

Question 27

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in boxes 27 on your answer sheet.

27. What is the main purpose of this passage?

1. Main characteristic of a bird called bittern.
2. Cooperation can protect an endangered species.
3. The difficulty of accessing information about a bittern’s habitat and diet.
4. To save wetland and reedbed in the UK.

Also Read: IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions

Saving The British Bitterns Reading Answers with Explanations

After attending the questions, check out saving the British bitterns reading answers with explanations. 

14. Answer: ii

Keywords: extinct, rose to a peak, falling to fewer, recovery actions
Answer Location: 1st Paragraph,  1st line
Explanation - The first paragraph explains how bitterns in the UK are nearing extinction and recovering later. This cycle is repeating throughout the century. So the appropriate heading is ‘fluctuation in bittern number.’

15. Answer: v

Keywords: monitor their numbers
Answer Location: 2nd Paragraph, 2nd line
Explanation - The second paragraph talks about standard methods to monitor the number of male bitterns. They developed a method to count them using the sound patterns unique to each individual. Here, the correct answer is ‘began in calculation of the number.’

16. Answer: i

Keywords: comparison of reedbed sites, recommendations to manage and rehabilitate reedbeds
Answer Location: 3rd Paragraph, 3rd line
Explanation - In the third paragraph, it’s given that the research showed that bitterns had been retained in reedbeds. Due to the natural process of succession, or drying out, the bitterns had been slowed. But recommendations were given to manage and rehabilitate reedbeds. Funding was provided through the EU LIFE Fund. Based on the information, the answer is ‘research findings into habitats and decisions made.’

17. Answer: viii

Keywords: radio-tracked, preferences for feeding in the wetter reedbed margins
Answer Location: 4th Paragraph, 2nd line
Explanation - The fourth paragraph reveals the further research on bitterns on the RSPB’s Minsmere and Leighton Moss reserves. Over the course of their research, they located 87 bittern nests and found that female bitterns preferred to nest in areas of continuous vegetation, well into the reedbed. Thus, ‘research into the reedbed’ would be a good matching heading for paragraph D.

18. Answer: vi

Keywords: diet, survival, starvation
Answer Location: 6th Paragraph, 1st line
Explanation - The sixth paragraph discusses the importance of food for bitterns. Many chicks die before reaching their adulthood due to starvation. However, fishes are good for chicks to feed. Hence, the correct heading for this paragraph is ‘importance of food.’ 

19. Answer: iii

Keywords: provide suitable sites, secure, sustainable UK bittern population
Answer Location: 7th Paragraph, 3rd line
Explanation - The seventh paragraph focuses on the second EU Life funded project that aims to protect young bitterns. A network of 19 sites developed through this partnership project secured a more sustainable UK bittern population with successful breeding outside the core area. To reflect the same, ‘protect the young bittern’ would be a good matching heading.

20. Answer: iv

Keywords: undertaking management, managers, owners and wardens
Answer Location: 8th Paragraph, 3rd line
Explanation - The eighth paragraph highlights the success story of the trust, hard work and dedication of all the managers, owners and wardens of sites that have implemented. It led to the number of booming male bitterns increasing to 55. According to the above facts, ‘international cooperation works’ heading would be appropriate for this paragraph. 

21. Answer: 1950s

Keywords: undertaking management, managers, owners and wardens
Answer Location: 1st Paragraph, 2nd line
Explanation - In the first paragraph, it’s clear that bitterns reached its peak of about 70 booming (singing) males in the 1950s.

22. Answer: being shy/shyness

Keywords: shy nature
Answer Location: 2nd Paragraph, 1st line
Explanation - The second paragraph talks about the bitterns characters. Bitterns have cryptic plumage and a shy nature, usually remaining hidden within the cover of reedbed vegetation. 

23. Answer: starvation

Keywords: starvation, demise
Answer Location: 6th Paragraph, 4th line
Explanation - In the sixth paragraph, the author talks about the cause of bitterns’ death. Many chicks did not survive to fledging and starvation was found to be the most likely reason for their demise. 

24. Answer: (native) fish

Keywords: fish prey
Answer Location: 6th Paragraph, 4th line
Explanation - In the sixth paragraph, the author mentions the main source of food for bitterns. The fish prey to chicks was dominated by those species penetrating into the reed edge. So the development of recommendations on habitat and water conditions to promote healthy native fish populations.

25. Answer: partnership project/ network (of sites)/ partnership project network

Keywords: EU Life funded project, partnership project
Answer Location: 7th Paragraph, 3rd line
Explanation - The seventh paragraph points out the second EU Life funded project that aims to provide suitable sites in new areas. This partnership project will secure a more sustainable UK bittern population with successful breeding outside of the core area, less vulnerable to chance events and sea level rise. 

26. Answer: Otter and brownware

Keywords: 12 monitoring transects, otter and brown-hare
Answer Location: 9th Paragraph, 6th line
Explanation - In the ninth paragraph, the author talks about other living beings benefited out of the EU projects. Malltraeth Reserve now forms part of the UK network of key sites for water vole (a UK priority species) and 12 monitoring transects have been established. Otter and brown-hare occur on the site as do the rare plants, pillwort. 

27. Answer: B

Keywords: protecting species, monitoring, staying longer
Answer Location: 9th Paragraph, 1st line
Explanation - The whole passage is briefly summarised in the ninth paragraph. The main purpose of this passage is about cooperation in protecting endangered species.

Check Answers for Cambridge Reading Test

Ancient Chinese Chariots Reading Answers:

1. TRUE
2. FALSE
3. TRUE
4. NOT GIVEN
5. Elm
6. Oil
7. 32
8. Dish
9. Struts
10. Bronze
11. Neck
12. Sand
13. Tomb complex

Check the other reading answers

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Conclusion

This “Saving the British bitterns reading answers” blog includes a complete passage, questions, answers with locations, and its explanations. While practising this IELTS reading mock test, learn to identify keywords in the passage to spot the answers quickly. It helps you immensely during the actual IELTS exam.