Marsh Madness
Secretive Species Drive Birders Crazy
Most bird enthusiasts won’t see these birds without focused efforts. The majority of birders spend days hoping for a quick glimpse of these elusive creatures, only to be stumped. It may take hours to see a camouflaged bird, though it may be heard calling from a few yards away.
Most of these secretive marsh birds belong to two families: bitterns and rails. And most are in critical peril in the United States – listed as federal species of concern or as endangered by states.
The above paragraphs are an excerpt from an article in the March-April 2007 issue of Arkansas Wildlife magazine.
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Marsh Madness - AW - March-April 2007