American Bittern

Botaurus lentiginosus

no photo — written note
photo: Wikimedia Commons
BirdsSensitive species

A streaked marsh heron that freezes bill-up in the reeds and pumps out a hollow call.

Field facts
HabitatDense cattail marsh
RangeNorthern Indiana wetlands
When to lookApril to October
StatusState endangered in Indiana (Indiana DNR / IUCN Red List)
Look-alikesImmature night-heron

Field note: Its call sounds like an old pump handle working underwater.

Lesson
Watching responsibly

Stay on boardwalks; nesting marsh birds abandon easily.

This species is treated as sensitive: locations are generalised to county level and never routed to directly.

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