Helping our feathered friends, one step a time!
Connect with us to learn how you can bring our project to your community.
Our initiative aims to support the conservation of the American bittern by creating innovative nesting structures crafted from cedar wood, carefully coated with neem oil for weather resistance and sustainability. These structures are equipped with cameras to monitor nesting activity and ensure our efforts are effective in supporting the bird’s habitat needs.
We’re reaching out to our community for assistance in building and installing these nesting structures across vital wetland habitats, fostering a collaborative effort to protect and preserve this elusive species for future generations. Together, we strive to make a meaningful impact in wildlife conservation.
The American Bittern is currently listed as endangered in New Jersey for its breeding population.
The primary threat to American Bitterns in New Jersey remains habitat loss, particularly the destruction of critical wetlands. Their secretive nature makes population monitoring challenging, and scientists are still uncertain whether their numbers are increasing or decreasing.
American Bitterns primarily inhabit emergent wetlands, including cattail ponds, sedge marshes, and shallow water areas with dense vegetation. They prefer water depths less than 4 inches and vegetation around 3 feet high.
These secretive birds are masters of camouflage, using their mottled brown plumage to blend perfectly with marsh vegetation while stalking prey
The American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) is a distinctive medium-sized heron that is 20 to 35 inches tall. It displays a distinctive flight patterns, appearing somewhat awkward with stiff, laboring wing beats that are quicker than other herons.
The bird has a stout body with a thick neck and short legs. Its plumage is brown and finely speckled with black on the upperside, while the undersides display heavy brown and white streaking.
A distinctive long black patch extends from below the eye down the neck sides, and its eyes are notably yellow and downward-focused
Camouflage Technique: When threatened, the bittern adopts a remarkable defensive posture - pointing its bill skyward and stretching its body while swaying with the breeze to mimic surrounding vegetation.
Hunting Style: This solitary hunter employs stealth, standing motionless before striking prey with its spearlike bill. It hunts primarily during daylight hours, especially at dawn and dusk
The breeding process follows a specific timeline:
You can support American Bittern conservation by contacting your local library, recreational center, or conservatory host workshop to build nesting structures. These community-driven initiatives help protect this endangered species while educating others about biodiversity, and we can arrange shipping of completed structures to critical habitats in NJ.