The American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) belongs to the family Ardeidae which also includes egrets and herons.
Length. 24-34 inches
Habitat. Marshes and grassy lakeshores.
Nesting. Nest is a platform of reeds and grass close to water level in marsh. eggs 3-5, buff or olive. Incubation about 29 days, by female only. Young downy; leave nest 6-7 weeks after hatching. Nests in isolated pairs.
Food. Mainly frogs, snall eels, water snakes and insects.
A secretive bird, when alarmed, it often freezes with neck taut and bill pointing straight up. It may remain motionless, taking on the form of a tree root or broken snag. Or, swaying slowly to mimic wind-stirred vegetation, it may simply make itself invisible. Nor is the american bittern easy to identify by sound. It calls usually between dusk and midnight.