American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus
The American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) is a common herons, egrets, and bittern found in 21 countries, weighing about 706 g. The American bittern is a species of wading bird in the heron family.
About the American Bittern
The American bittern is a species of wading bird in the heron family. It has a Nearctic distribution, breeding in Canada and the northern and central parts of the United States, and wintering in the U.S. Gulf Coast states, all of Florida into the Everglades, the Caribbean islands and parts of Central America.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The American bittern is a large, chunky, brown bird, very similar to the Eurasian bittern (Botaurus stellaris), though slightly smaller, and the plumage is speckled rather than being barred. It is 58–85 cm (23–33 in) in length, with a 92–115 cm (36–45 in) wingspan and a body mass of 370–1,072 g (0.816–2.363 lb). The crown is chestnut brown with the centers of the feathers being black. The side of the neck has a bluish-black elongated patch which is larger in the male than in the female.
What the American Bittern sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Puerto Rico, Iceland, Martinique.
When to see it
The American Bittern can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an American Bittern?
- The American bittern is a large, chunky, brown bird, very similar to the Eurasian bittern (Botaurus stellaris), though slightly smaller, and the plumage is speckled rather than being barred. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an American Bittern?
- The American Bittern is a large sized bird weighing about 706 g.
- Where can you see an American Bittern?
- The American Bittern occurs in 21 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and Costa Rica.
- What does an American Bittern sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the American Bittern on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to an American Bittern?
- The American Bittern is most easily confused with the Eurasian Bittern, the Pinnated Bittern and the Australasian Bittern.
- Is the American Bittern endangered?
- The American Bittern is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the American Bittern for real
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