WADING BIRDS 95 



The sexes have similar plumage, but the female is 

 smaller than her mate. 



BITTERN 



The Bittern ranges throughout temperate North Amer- 

 ica and winters from Virginia south. 



One of the most familiar marsh birds, it is known under 

 many aliases, such as thunderpump, Indian hen, stake 

 driver, and bull goose. This interesting creature is not a 

 game bird, but because of its sluggish nature is often the 

 victim of the ruthless hunter. To escape detection, bitterns 

 assume a pose extending the head and neck skyward, thus 

 resembling a stump with a dead sprout at the side. Bitterns 

 stand motionless for hours in shallow water, until some fish, 

 frog, or reptile comes within striking distance. 



This bird breeds commonly throughout the East and 

 JNIiddle West, from New York, Illinois, and Iowa north- 

 ward. The nests are usually composed of dead reeds and 

 rushes, a mere platform with little or no cavity. From three 

 to six eggs are laid, and the period of incubation is twenty- 

 one days. 



During the mating season the birds produce a remark- 

 able vocal sound, not unlike that produced when driving a 

 stake with a hammer. This performance has earned them 

 the title of "stake-driver." The notes run something like 

 this: "Quack, chunk, chunk, quack, quackalunk, chunk, 

 chunk, quack um chunk, quack, quackalunk, chunk." 



One excited female bittern disgorged eleven crawfish 

 and seven frogs before I could persuade her to vacate her 

 nest, which contained five coffee-brown eggs. 



