Species: Botaurus lentiginosus

Nesting occurs solitarily (non-colonially) on all-purpose territories that provide both feeding and nesting sites, but occasionally up to a few pairs nest in a small area (Harrison 1979). Polygyny is suspected to occur (Palmer 1962). Mating rituals are elaborate, and involve display of a tuft of white nuptial feathers located on the sides of the neck (see Baker 1980, Johnsgard 1980). BOTAURUS bitterns may undergo a change in iris color from yellow to orange during courtship (Wood 1986). <br><br>The nest consists of a platform of reeds, sedges, cattail, or other available emergent vegetation, and is lined with fine grasses. Nests are usually placed on the ground, in a tussock, a few inches above water, or are floating; are surrounded by water, and have dense, overhead cover (Bent 1926, Vesall 1940, Cogswell 1977, Harrison 1978, Terres 1980). Nests may also be built in grassy uplands (Vesall 1940, Duebbert and Lokemoen 1977). Nests are usually accessed by two, well-beaten pathways (Gabrielson 1914). <br><br>Egg-laying begins in late April or early May, about a month after the arrival at nesting areas, and continues until mid-June (Bent 1926). In the north-central U.S., nests may contain eggs from about early May to early July (Brewer et al. 1991). Clutch size ranges from two to seven eggs, usually three to five (Duebbert and Lokemoen 1977, Graber et al. 1978). Incubation, by the female only, begins with the first egg (Palmer 1962). Hatching occurs after 24-28 days (Burns 1915, Bent 1926, Vesall 1940), and chicks remain at or near the nest for two weeks (Gabrielson 1914, Vesall 1940, Harrison 1979, Terres 1980). Chicks are fed only by the female, and are given fish, frogs, snakes, crayfish, and mice (Gabrielson 1914, Byers 1951). Nests often become fouled with food debris (Vesall 1940). Post-fledging behavior of young is unreported. <br><br>Apparently single-brooded (Palmer 1962). In upland habitats in North and South Dakota, 57% of 72 nests hatched at least one egg (Duebbert and Lokemoen 1977). Little is known about sources of egg, chick or post-juvenile mortality, age at fledging or first breeding, or territory size. Age at fledging for the closely-related Eurasian bittern is 50-55 days (Cramp 1977). One banded American bittern lived at least eight years (Clapp et al. 1982). Probably undergoes extensive post-breeding dispersal, which has resulted in numerous sightings, mostly between September and December, at locations as distant as Iceland, Norway, and Great Britain (Cramp 1977). Information on molt is incomplete. Adults undergo a complete post-breeding molt from August to November, and possibly a pre-breeding renewal of body plumage (Palmer 1962, but see Bent 1926).