American bittern

Botarus lentiginosus

The American bittern is a secretive marsh heron that is not often seen. It is well camouflaged and is a large wading bird with a 23-inch height and a 50-inch wingspan.

The bittern's body is covered with brown, tan and white stripes. The surrounding cattails, bulrush and reeds of the marsh hide the bittern so that it appears to be part of the surrounding cover.

When alarmed, bitterns will raise their heads and their long pointed yellow bills toward the sky. The heron then resembles the surrounding vegetation. The birds occasionally gently sway their extended necks back and forth in unison with the marsh cover in a gentle breeze. The bittern's call is very telling. A booming call carries over the marsh, sounding like a series of bubbles popping up from the bottom of a barrel, "oong-ka-choonk."

The breeding range extends over most of the United States and Canada. It winters in the southern U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean. American bitterns have been seen in Utah at Farmington Bay, the Bear River Migratory Bear Refuge and wetland marshes around Bear Lake.

Bill Fenimore is owner of the Layton Wild Bird Center (www.wildbird.com/layton) and author of Backyard Birds of Utah.