On the Courtship of the American Bittern
On the Courtship of the American Bittern
On May 8, 1928, near the north end of Osooyos Lake, British Columbia, the writer and Mr. S. J. Darcus of Penticton, British Columbia, witnessed the display of a male American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) and the consummation of his courtship.
The observers’ attention had been attracted by a Bittern’s “pumping” coming from a recently flooded meadow where the growth wss not sufficient to conceal any of the birds that were present. A scrutiny of this area with B-power binoculars revealed the author of the sounds, some ninety yards distant, standing bolt upright in the shallow water, with neck outstretched and bill pointing skyward. Twenty five yards farther out, fully exposed to view on dry ground bare of vegetation, crouched a second bird with head drawn in close to the body which was in a nearly horizontal position. This second bird proved to be a female. Suddenly the nearest bird began to “pump”; two “pumps” in quick succession, then repeated a minute or so later. During these efforts the body was thrust forward and bill pointed towards the water. pfter “pumping” the third time he assumed a stooping attitude and stalked slowly through the shallow water toward the motionless, crouching female, displaying as he did so a large area of white behind the shoulders. When within six feet or so of his mate he began walking around her in a circle, still stooping and displaying still larger patches of white. Suddenly came a movement so fast as almost to escape detection, and the female disappeared beneath the outspread, vibrating wings of her mate. Congress completed, the male stood quietly to one side while the female shook herself just as a domestic fowl does under the same circumstances.
J. A. Munro
Okanagan Landing, British Columbia, December 3, 1928
