American bittern.

We were out on the pontoon boat with a couple of photographer friends searching for birds along the marsh edge.
Anne spotted this American bittern who posed nicely for us.


Rondeau Provincial Park, July 31, 2022.
Botaurus lentiginosus
The American Bittern's yellow eyes can focus downward, giving the bird's face a comically startled, cross-eyed appearance. This visual orientation presumably enhances the bird's ability to spot and capture prey. The eyes turn orange during breeding season.

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