Bird
American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosusAlso known as Stake-driver, Thunder-pumper
American Bitterns are stocky streaked-brown herons whose vertical neck markings blend into reeds. When alarmed they often freeze with the bill pointed upward, and their deep pumping calls carry across marshes in spring.
marsh heroncamouflaged birdbooming call
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySmall fishes, frogs, crayfish
Predators
- great horned owls
- foxes
- raccoons
ThreatsWetland drainage, water-level change, pollution, disturbance, and loss of dense marsh vegetation
HabitatsFreshwater and brackish marshes, reedbeds, wet meadows, and vegetated pond margins
Life spanOften five to eight years, with some banded birds living longer
Classification
- FamilyArdeidae
- SpeciesBotaurus lentiginosus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Remain outside dense marsh cover and avoid playback that forces a hidden bird to respond.
Responsible observation
- Identify: Watch for a streaked bird holding its bill vertically among reeds.
- Listen: A series of deep pumping notes may reveal a bird that remains hidden.
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