From Opus

Photo by Steve Messick
Lower Latham Reservoir, Weld County, Colorado, May 2004

Botaurus lentiginosus

Identification

L. 23-34 in (58-86 cm)
A secretive, medium-sized, streaked brown heron.
Outer wing appears blackish brown in flight, contrasting with lighter brown of inner wing and body.
At close range adults show long black stripe down side of throat.

Similar Species

Young Black-crowned Night Heron and Yellow-crowned Night Heron are similar but stockier, with shorter necks and more rounded wings without dark tips. They lack the secretive habits of bitterns.

Distribution

Breeds from southeastern Alaska, Manitoba, and Newfoundland south to California, New Mexico, Arkansas, and Carolinas. Winters from coastal [[British Columbia[[, Southwest, Illinois, and along Atlantic Coast to Long Island (occasionally farther north), and south to Costa Rica (rarely) and Greater Antilles.

Photo by Mat & Cathy
Fisher Butte Unit, Eugene, Oregon, September 2008

Taxonomy

Monotypic.

Habitat

Freshwater and brackish marshes and marshy lakeshores; regular in salt marshes during migration and winter.

Behavior

Breeding

2-6 buff or olive-buff eggs placed on a platform of reeds concealed in a marsh. Does not nest in colonies.

Vocalization

On breeding grounds, a loud pumping sound, oong-KA-chunk! repeated a few times and often audible for half a mile. The call begins softly and slowly increases in volume.
Flight call a low kok-kok-kok.

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