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American Bittern (Botanus lentiginosus)

Life History

Status: Listed as Special Concern

Size: Height: 24-36 inches

Habitat: The bittern lives in emergent wetlands with plenty of vegetative cover.

Food: Diet includes fish, frogs, crayfish, snails, and aquatic insects.

Adaptations: Bitterns hide by standing with their bill pointed upwards. Their feather coloration provides camouflage in tall vegetation.

Non-DNR Links

Botaurus lentiginosus (University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology)

Identification Tips & More (USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center)
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