Rather rare breeding resident of reedbeds and such other vegetations in the marshes, tank edges, paddy fields (When the paddy is well grown) and river banks from lowlands to the hills, while becoming rarer in the up country. It lives solitary or as pairs and feeds on fish, frogs, insects and such other small animals found in aquatic habitats. Chestnut bittern is a partially nocturnal shy bird, though it is not unusual of encountering them during the day time. It breeds from June to July and lays three to five eggs in a nest made out of dry grasses and hidden in reeds or tussock in a marsh.
