American bittern

American bittern with streaked brown plumage standing upright and camouflaged in tall green marsh grass

This is a favourite frame of an American bittern, caught in the tall marsh grass.

Streaked brown plumage and a still, upright pose let the American bittern vanish into the reeds, even when it stands only a few feet away. Its camouflage is so effective that a bittern will often freeze with its bill pointed to the sky, swaying gently with the reeds, rather than fly. Patience and a slow approach along a marsh edge are usually the only way to photograph one.

This secretive heron hunts for fish, frogs, and insects in cattail marshes, and when alarmed it points its bill skyward and sways like the grasses around it. Its deep, pumping call carries across wetlands at dawn and dusk, and it is far more often heard than seen. Bitterns nest in dense marsh vegetation across Manitoba during the summer. Look for them from May through September around cattail sloughs, where the booming call is the best clue.

For more on the American bittern and its habitat, see its species guide at All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

  • American bittern standing in tall green marsh grass with its long bill pointed up
  • American bittern camouflaged among dry golden reeds, streaked brown plumage
  • American bittern stretching its neck upward among dry reeds, with bright yellow-green legs, Manitoba
  • American bittern flying over cattails

American bittern Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the american bittern in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the american bittern nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the american bittern in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Hudson Plains, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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