Birds and Birding's Guide to:

Watching THE STORK-LIKE BIRDS

THE HERONS (Family Ardeida)

Bittern Vocal

As a matter of fact, there is nothing peculiar in the vocal apparatus of the Bittern, and he depends entirely upon it for the production of the notes. It is simply that the natural shyness of the bird makes close observation difficult. In this particular, Torrey on one occasion enjoyed exceptional facilities and gives the following account:

“First the bird opens his bill quickly and shuts it with a click; then he does the same thing again with a louder click; and after from three to five such snappings of the beak he gives forth the familiar trisyllabic notes, repeated from three to eight times. With the preliminary motions of the bill the breast is seen to be distending; the dilatation increases until the pumping is well under way and, so far as we could make out, does not subside in the least until the pumping is quite over. It seemed to both of us that the bird was swallowing air, — gulping it down, — and with it distending his crop; and he appeared not to be able to produce the resonant pumping notes until this was accomplished. It should be remarked, however, that the gulps themselves, after the first one or two at least, give rise to familiar sounds of much the same sort.

The entire performance, but especially the pumping itself, is attended with violent convulsive movements, the head and neck being thrown upwards and then forwards, — like the Night Heron's when it emits its quow, only with much greater violence. The snap of the bill, in particular, is emphasized by a vigorous jerk of the head.”

Other observers have witnessed much the same state of affairs and all agree that it is produced only by an apparently violent effort, Brewster stating that a bird he once observed appeared”as if he were afflicted with violent nausea or were trying to get rid of some obstruction in his throat."

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