Why do Bitterns have big feet?

Why do Bitterns have big feet? Like all Herons and Egrets for stomping about in reedbeds obviously. But why such big claws?

Having photograghed the marvellously showy Bitterns at Hatch Pond a short time ago, I, of course, became less and less satisfied with my efforts and wanted to try and capture one fishing. As it happened I was due down in Poole and (ahem) found myself with a few hours to spare.

Luck was with me as, much harder to see than the photgraphs suggest, I found one literally 30 feet away from where I was standing. Although only a few measly reed stems separated it from me, it still provided sufficient cover for it to occasionally "disappear" and more than enough cover to render autofocus useless so I had to rely on manual - something I am not used to doing these days and it served as a reminder as to how much easier photography has got.... in some ways.

The shot above illustrates nicely the advantage of a camera's viewpoint, the short depth of field here throws the distracting foreground out of focus so the bird is seen easily, but to my eye, only its eye was really obvious.

Anyway, as luck would have it, this bird started its strange fishing technique, which was something I hadn't seen before and I hoped my excitement didn't blur the shots!

Only someone who has watched a Bittern fishing will appreciate the concentration required by presumably it, and also a photographer hoping to capture an image of the capture... if you see what I mean. However, after only a couple of minutes....

... but unfortunately it came up with nothing....

We both adopted our hunting poses again

and waited...

and waited...

and waited...

until eventually, all of a sudden, I realised with a jolt why Bitterns have such hefty claws

and suddenly up it came with its prize of silver

It steadfastly refused to turn my way to show its catch nicely, and instead turned its back and melted away into the reeds at an almost unseemly pace (for a Bittern) before I could comment on its table manners.

Not long afterwards I picked it up again and it carried on fishing but in a more obscured spot. Every now and again it stood up and... how shall I put this... licked its lips?? It reminded me very much of a snake or lizard "tasting the air" but as birds aren't equipped with a Jacobson's organ that doesn't make sense. I don't know what it is doing, but I did hear someone else say that had seen this behaviour when I was here previously, probably by the same bird, but whether this is normal or not I have no idea.

Brilliant birds, I think this was the best few hours I've spent in a long time, totally magical. (Apologies to anyone I've spent a few hours with lately, you've just been outdone by a Bittern!)