BITTERNS, ETC. Family Ardeidse 



AMERICAN BITTERN 

 190. Botaurus lentiginosus. 28 in. 



Much variegated with brown and yellowish-brown: 

 adults with a long, broad, black stripe on either side 

 of the white throat; eye yellow; legs and base of bill 

 greenish-yellow. Bitterns have a great many local 

 names, most of which refer to the peculiar pumping 

 noise that the male makes during the mating season. 

 Perhaps the most common of these is " Stake-driver." 

 Bitterns are found in bogs or marshes; they remain 

 concealed by the tall grass until any intruder is very 

 near, before they take flight. 



Notes. A squawk of alarm ; song a hollow " punk- 

 er-lunk." 



Nest. A grass-lined hollow in tufts of grass or turf, 

 in the middle of bogs or marshes. 3 or 4 plain brownish 

 eggs, measuring 1.95 x 1.50. But one or two pairs nest 

 in a locality ; May, June. 



Range. Breeds in the northern half of the United 

 States and Southern Canada; winters in southern half 

 of the United States. 



