Birds of North America Home Page

Field Guide for all the Birds of North America


American Bittern

Butor d'Amérique

Botaurus lentiginosus

Information, images and range maps on over 1,000 birds of North America, including sub-species, vagrants, introduced birds and possibilities

Birds of North America
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Life, Habitat & Pictures of North American Birds

B L W W W Family Latin Name
28" 71.1cm 42" 106.7cm 24oz 680.4g Ardeidae Botaurus lentiginosus

North American Bird Calls

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range map
bitterns

Distribution: The American Bittern is the largest member of the bittern family. This bird makes its habitat in marshes. It has an unmistakable call, sounding more like a water drain emptying than a bird call. Seen from Newfoundland and Labrador, northeastern coast of Quebec through to James Bay. Also into the southern regions of the Northwest Territories, southwest into British Columbia to the northern regions of California. As well as Nevada across the midwest to the eastern coast. The bittern spends its winters in the most southern states and Mexico.


References to Other Bird Sites:

Avibase - the world bird database This site provides the user with a complete list of bird species, broken down per country, or in the example of the US or Canada, per state and province. Here, bird species names are available in other languages, a great asset to be used as a translation of foreign bird names.

ABA - American Birding Association This site represents an organization that maintains official records of all birds species that have been proven to have been seen inside the perimeters of the North American Continent and the surrounding bodies of water. Regular revised versions are posted to keep the bird list current at all times. This is the list used by all serious birders over their lifetime. You may be aware of the movie called the "Big Year". It was with this list that all the competing birders used in an attempt to set a new record as to how many bird species that could be seen by an individual birder in one calendar year.

I hope you will take advantage of these suggested websites. I have used each of them, in one way or another, throughout the years in my quest to better identify and understand our fine feathered friends.


Classic Collection of North American Birds

CCNAB