Scott explains the habits of the American Bittern.
A sun-gazer, stake driver, mire drum, thunder pump... also known as an American Bittern. (Courtesy Steve Klett)
OK, here’s a quiz for you. What bird is known as a sun-gazer, stake driver, mire drum or thunder pump? Here’s another clue… it sounds like an old water pump, like this:
SFX: American Bittern call
Our mystery bird is the American bittern, a two-foot tall heron with a long beak and long legs. Its feathers are heavily striped, allowing it to blend in with the reeds and grasses in the wetlands where it lives. It is so well camouflaged that it’s rarely seen. While other species of heron tend to flush when spotted or disturbed, the bittern freezes, beak pointed toward the sky. If there is a breeze, the bird even sways along with the waving plants.
Bitterns may be difficult to see, but for such a shy bird they do make a lot of noise. During the breeding season, the males are most active at dawn and dusk making their strange and dramatic sounds by spectacular contortions of their esophagus. They use these resounding calls to communicate among the thick marsh grass. Low frequency sounds can travel farther in dense vegetation than high frequency sounds. This makes it easier for interested females to find the hopeful males.
Unfortunately, because of declines in suitable wetlands, it is getting harder and harder to hear the American bittern. But this is the best time of year to try. Make your way to large, healthy wetlands—Lake Umbagog is a good spot—and wait. With luck, your patience will be rewarded with one of the most unusual courtship songs in the avian world.
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