Outdoors
The BDN outdoors section brings readers into the woods, waters and wild places of Maine. It features stories on hunting, fishing, wildlife, conservation and recreation, told by people who live these experiences. This section emphasizes hands-on knowledge, field reports, issues, trends and the traditions that define life outside in Maine. Read more Outdoors stories here.
This video, captured by Registered Maine Guide Tallie Martin of the New England Outdoor Center, showcases an American bittern making its distinctive booming call — a sound that has earned the bird nicknames such as “stake-driver,” “thunder-pumper,” “water-belcher” and “mire-drum.”
Male bitterns make the sound to establish territories and attract mates by opening and closing their bills, gulping air and inflating their esophagus.
These elusive wetland birds are typically heard, not seen, making this footage especially unique. The video also captures the remarkable way the bittern produces its signature call.
American bitterns live in freshwater marshes and grasslands near wetlands, where their vertically striped feathers help camouflage them among the tall vegetation.
In Maine, American bitterns are listed as a Priority 3 Species of Greatest Conservation Need. While they occur statewide, their core breeding range is concentrated in the state’s central interior region.
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