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Platte River Status: An uncommon and local migrant and summer resident across the study area. Tout (1947) recorded American bittern in Lincoln County during 16 April to 11 November. Rosche (1979) found American bittern in the Clear Creek marshes, Garden County, on 11 September 1977.

Breeding Range: Apparently restricted during the breeding season to the Sandhills and Platte River Valley; accidental elsewhere.

Breeding Population: We failed to record American bittern on our random census plots in 1979-1980. Because of its secretive behavior and the fact that American bittern is difficult to find in dense emergent vegetation, we believe that it may be more common and widespread than our records suggest.

Habitat: Within the study area, American bittern is most commonly found in large semipermanent and permanent wetlands that support dense growths of emergent aquatic vegetation. Faanes (1982) recorded this species most commonly in semipermanent wetlands on a central North Dakota study area. Kantrud and Stewart (1984) recorded highest nesting densities of American bittern across North Dakota in semipermanent wetlands (5.8 pairs/km²). Duebbert and Lokemoen (1977) regularly encountered American bittern nests in upland grasslands managed for waterfowl production in northern South Dakota.

Effect of Habitat Alteration: Because of this species apparent preference for large semipermanent wetlands, destruction of that habitat type, especially in the rainwater basin area, has had a significant negative impact on the breeding population in our study area.

Nesting Data: We have no confirmed records of nests or young from the study area. Extreme egg dates in North Dakota range from 31 May to 2 August (Stewart 1975).