Story by: Andrea Chapman

Acting Director of Communications and Education

Isn’t it amazing how we can go for years with a nostalgic sound that sticks in our memory, but not actually know what is making it?

As a child growing up near vast wetlands I was lucky to hear these sounds, but not so lucky to have an interpretive centre nearby that could uncover the mystery of the noises.

Years went by and the sounds were still mysterious. However, it became something I expected each evening as the sun slowly melted into the vast Prairie flats. (I was never up early enough to hear the morning chorus.)

Since choosing my adult path and immersing myself in learning about and categorizing everything that breathes, I had the great surprise of hearing one sound in particular again. This time I discovered exactly what was making it.

If any of you live near the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area you will have undoubtedly heard the “oonk-a-loonk” of the American bittern resonate in your eardrums.

One would figure, at more than two feet long, that this species would be easy enough to spot, but this is far from true. With a brown, mottled colouration and habit of standing statue-still with its entire body erect, the American bittern blends in with its environment unbelievably.

I bet many have visited the Wildlife Centre, looking through the displays countless times, and never even noticed we have one in the building. It took me three seasons to finally see it.

A few memorable times I have been walking along the trails within the wildlife area and heard the beloved “oonk-a-loonk” within mere feet of where I was walking. I bet I had looked right at the culprit and not even seen it.

The bittern was undoubtedly standing statue-straight and reaching its beak toward the sky in what is called its cryptic stance. The stance gives it optimal camouflage in the cattails and bulrushes due to the contrast of white and brown stripes running down its long neck.

The bittern happens to be a relative of the great blue heron. Both have a similar body type with an S-shaped neck and long, stork-like legs. They also both tend to lead solitary lives in the marsh.

They differ in their nesting habits, however. Great blue herons nest in a community setting in the tops of trees called a rookery while bitterns nest solitary on the ground.

When it comes to food choice, the bittern is known to eat whatever animal it can get its beak on, which can range from small mammals to large insects. This time of year, when birds are starting the long trip to warmer weather, bitterns follow the trend, travelling as far south as Mexico.

Hearing the “oonk-a-loonk” takes me back to my childhood and still produces the same feeling in my heart now as it did then. I find it hard not to love this master of wetland disguise, which can belt out such a non-animal sound without being found.

For more information about our programs and special events, check the Web site www.crestonwildlife.ca. If you have any questions, call us at (250) 402-6908 or e-mail at askus@crestonwildlif.ca.