American Bittern

Latin Name: Botaurus lentiginosus
Size: 23" - 34"
Color: Brown with dark brown on the outer wing and lighter brown on inner wing and on the body. Black stripes are conspicuous down the throat.
Voice: A strange, distinct pumping chunk sound. The call of the American Bittern can be heard up to half a mile away.
Habitat: Freshwater marshes and lakes.
Range: Common throughout the United States, far up into Canada and along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Bird feeder? Like other herons, feeds mainly on fish, insects, and frogs around the shores of lakes, not a seed eating bird.

The call of the American Bittern is eerie and always recognizable, although to unfamiliar birders not recognizable as a bird call at first. The low, pumping chunk sound of the American Bittern can be heard from quite a long distance away and is a common sound in the marshes and lakeshores of the United States and Canada.

This secretive bird inhabits areas of tall reeds and marshes, and it uses the defense of camoflauge to hide from intruders by imitating the coloration and movement of a reed. For this reason alone, American Bitterns are not easy wading birds to spot. You'll be more likely to hear one before seeing one, and if you catch a glimpse of this elusive heron, count yourself truly blessed!

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