American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus
Content and photos by James Giroux
The American Bittern is one of those birds that usually does not show up early on a birder’s life list. Most often it is not easy to find. Even at a known location. The first one I saw was in Louisiana while driving through a swampy wildlife refuge with two other birders. One of the birders – not me – proclaimed:
“American Bittern!”
“Where, where?”
“Straight ahead in the ditch.”
“Where, I don’t see it.”
“Right out in the open, 100 feet ahead on the right side of the road.”
“Out in the open? I still don’t see it.”
You get the idea. We’ve all been there. The American Bittern, although it is fairly large, was designed for stealthiness. When the bird detects danger it stretches its neck and beak upward, blending in with the surrounding tall grass and reeds. They can be very difficult to see unless they are moving. Combine their stealthiness with shyness, and their reluctance to go out into the open, and you get a bird that is not often seen.
Unfortunately, here in Texas we don’t get to hear these birds during the breeding season. They only show up during migration and reside in south Texas in winter. The sound they make is mind-blowing. It is like nothing I have ever heard. The sound is so unusual that the bird has many nicknames based on their call including “stake-driver,” “thunder-pumper,” “water-belcher,” and “mire-drum.” Get your Merlin app right now, and listen to it, or watch and listen to this 2-minute Youtube video from the Cornell Lab. American Bittern Vocal
American Bitterns are in the heron family, and they hunt and eat in typical heron fashion, walking slowly and quietly looking for prey. Their diet consists of insects, crustaceans, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and sometimes small mammals. They are very solitary creatures, and you will almost never see more than one at a time.
Males are very territorial during the breeding season. If two males encounter each other, a fight will often ensue. They will crouch down and display white feathers between their shoulders. A squabble will sometimes end with an aerial spiral chase while each bird tries to stab the other with their sharp beaks.
Although the range map shows that Austin is just outside the winter grounds of the American Bittern, occasionally we will get one that spends a winter here. Last winter one of these amazing birds was seen by many Austin birders at Southeast Greenway park. But even though the bird was there the entire season, I know at least one birder that tried and failed to see it multiple times before finally having success. With luck, that bird will return soon to spend winter with us again.
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