Environmental Information Management System

Name: American Bittern

Phylum: Craniata

Class: Aves

Order: Pelecaniformes

Family: Ardeidae

Scientific: Botaurus lentiginosus

• Freshwater marshes, including lake and pond edges of cattails, sedges or bulrushes.
• Also occur in shrubby marshes, bogs and wet meadows.
• Wetlands >2.5 ha support breeding.
• Nest on platforms of reeds, sedges, cattail or other emergent vegetation on the ground, in a tussock, or floating and surrounded by water with dense overhead cover, or in grassy uplands.

• Minimize disturbance during the breeding season.
• Maintain nesting habitat throughout all seasons.
• Maintain desired plant communities and key habitat features.

All Activities

• Identify key habitat features using appropriate measures (i.e. QP direction, desktop review, field confirmation, etc) and plan activities within the operating area accordingly.
• Time works such that they occur outside of the critical timing window.

All Activities 

• Undertake construction and operation of oil and gas activities in a manner that minimizes impacts to desired plant communities and key habitat features.

 

Timing considerations when working within identified habitat:

• Avoid disturbance and/or clearing activities during the critical timing window from May 1 to July 31.