Birds of North America

Bitterns

Ardeidae

Lives, Habitats & Pictures of the Bitterns

There are two species of bitterns in North America, the American Bittern and the Least Bittern. These two types of birds live in the marshes, along lagoons and waterways, mostly in the long grasses and cattails. With their deliberate skulking and their brown and tawny feathers, these birds become almost invisible to the naked eye. The American Bittern has a unique call, which is quite similar to the sounds that water makes in a backed-up drain pipe.

The Least Bittern is seen most often in the south-eastern parts of North America. Because of its small size, it is more likely to be heard than seen, whereas the American Bittern can be found all over the continent, except in the tundra and far North.


Click on the bird names listed below to see pictures of Bitterns

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Classic Collection of North American Birds

CCNAB