Bird

American Bittern

Botaurus lentiginosus

A summer resident that nests in West Virginia. Found in all 55 counties, across 5 habitats.

Here: Summer and on migration
Nesting: Nests here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 5

Adult American Bittern, whole bird — **Adult**. (c) Kathy Richardson, some rights reserved (CC BY). CC BY. iNaturalist photo 483295286. iNaturalist large derivative; no local crop or retouch.

At a glance

Group: Birds
Here: Summer and on migration
Nesting: Nests here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 5
Habitat models: Summer, Winter

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in West Virginia 5

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 5

Disturbed and introduced wetlands

Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.

SummerWinter

Freshwater marshes

Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.

SummerCentral Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems

Ponds, lakes and their shores

Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.

SummerWinterOpen Water (Fresh)

Wet meadows

Open, wet, grassy or sedgy ground that is not a bog.

SummerCentral Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

WinterOnly within 500 m of water.Pasture/Hay; Disturbed/Successional - Grass/Forb Regeneration; Utility Swath - Herbaceous; Ruderal Upland - Old Field

Other habitats in its models (54)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in West Virginia. Those recorded in West Virginia first, the rest by region.

Elsewhere in the South (26)

Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Interdunal Wetland Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural Lakeshore Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Winter.
Central and Upper Texas Coast Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Winter.
Central Florida Herbaceous Seep Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Savanna and Wet Prairie Winter.
Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Winter.
Mississippi Sound Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
South Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh Winter.
South Florida Freshwater Slough and Gator Hole Winter.
South Florida Wet Marl Prairie Winter.
Southwest Florida Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
Texas Saline Coastal Prairie Winter.
Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Winter, only within 500 m of water.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Nepheline Syenite Glade Winter, only within 500 m of water.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Calcareous Prairie Winter, only within 500 m of water.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Calcareous Prairie Winter, only within 500 m of water.

Northeast (4)

Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Salt Marsh Winter.
Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dune and Swale Winter.
Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Heathland and Grassland Winter, only within 500 m of water.

Land cover and other classes (24)

Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Summer.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Herbaceous Modifier Winter, only within 500 m of water.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Winter.
Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Marsh Systems Winter.
Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Winter, only within 500 m of water.
Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Winter, only within 500 m of water.
Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Winter, only within 500 m of water.
Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Winter, only within 500 m of water.
Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Winter, only within 500 m of water.
Modified/Managed Southern Tall Grassland Winter, only within 500 m of water.
Open Water (Aquaculture) Summer and winter.
Open Water (Brackish/Salt) Summer and winter.
Recently Burned Winter, only within 500 m of water.
Recently Burned Forest Winter, only within 500 m of water.
Recently Burned Grassland Winter, only within 500 m of water.
Recently Logged Areas Winter, only within 500 m of water.
South Texas Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Winter.
Unconsolidated Shore Summer and winter.
Unconsolidated Shore (Beach/Dune) Summer and winter.
Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Summer and winter.

All habitats

Seasons in West Virginia

Migratory: does not nest here, in 41 of 55 counties.
Summer: nests here, in 33 of 55 counties.

Also found in its main habitats

Its main habitats in West Virginia, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.