Ixobrychus Billberg, 1828 Botaurus is a genus of bitterns, a group of wading birds in the heron family Ardeidae.

The genus Botaurus was introduced in 1819 by the English naturalist James Francis Stephens.

[1] Stephens did not specify the type species but this was designated as Ardea stellaris Linnaeus (Eurasian bittern) by George Gray in 1840.

[4] In describing the Eurasian bittern Stephens wrote: "At this period the male makes a singular noise, which is compared with the deep bellowing of a bull, and is continued for about two months: ...".

Molecular genetic studies found that the genus Ixobrychus was paraphyletic with respect to Botaurus.