American Coot
Fulica americana
The American coot is a dark, duck-like bird with a white bill. It visits the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, creeks and wetlands from autumn through spring.
Appearance:
- Dark, grayish-black body
- White, chicken-like bill with red area on the forehead
- Red eyes
- White patches under the tail
- Greenish or yellowish legs
- Large feet with lobed toes
- Grows to 16 inches
Habitat:
- Found on the fresh and brackish waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, creeks, wetlands and marshes
- Also lives on open lakes, ponds and reservoirs
- Often forms flocks on the water
Range:
- Visits the Bay watershed from autumn through spring
- Found both inland and near the shore
- Migrates to its western and northern breeding grounds in spring
Feeding:
- Feeds mostly on bay grasses such as redhead grass, sago pondweed and wild celery
- Will also eat small fish, insects and invertebrates
- Feeds by either diving for its food in deeper waters or “tipping up” its tail and submerging its head underwater in shallow waters
Predators:
- Ospreys and bald eagles prey upon coots
Flight:
- Takes flight by running across the water’s surface
- Not able to fly straight up from the water like many other birds
- Can be identified in flight by its dark body and white bill
Voice:
- Makes short croaks, clucks and cackles that sound like kuk-kuk-kuk
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
- Does not breed in the Bay region
- Breeds in the Midwestern and western United States and in southwestern Canada
- Can live to 9 years old
Other Facts:
- Although they look like ducks, coots are actually a type of rail
- Easily identified by its strange behavior of bobbing its head back and forth while swimming
- Better adapted than many other birds to living in the water
Additional Information: