American Bittern

 

American Bitterns are medium-sized herons with thick, compact bodies. They have shorter legs and thicker necks than typical herons and a slightly hunched posture. The daggerlike bill is long, straight, and sharply pointed.

American Bitterns are mostly warm brown, buff, and white. They are strongly streaked, especially on the neck, and they can be very hard to see against marsh vegetation.

Bitterns are stealth predators and typically stand motionless as they wait for prey to approach, or stalk it with barely perceptible motions.

Look for American Bitterns in shallow freshwater marshes.
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