The American Coot is a plump, chickenlike bird with a rounded head and a sloping bill. Their tiny tail, short wings, and large feet are visible on the rare occasions they take flight.

Coots are tough, adaptable waterbirds. Although they are related to the secretive rails, they swim in the open like ducks and walk about on shore, making themselves at home on golf courses and city park ponds.

The American coot (Fulica americana), also known as a mud hen or pouldeau, is a bird of the family Rallidae. Though commonly mistaken for ducks, American coots are only distantly related to ducks, belonging to a separate order.

A close look at a coot—that small head, those scrawny legs—reveals a different kind of bird entirely. Their dark bodies and white faces are common sights in nearly any open water across the continent, and they often mix with ducks.

Aug 13, 2018 · With a duck-ish head, a body shaped like a chicken, and a pointy beak to match, the American Coot looks like the most impractical mash-up of birds—and that’s just in the water. On land, you can see another part of its wacky appearance: those feet.

Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family, Rallidae. They constitute the genus Fulica , the name being the Latin term for "coot". Coots have predominantly black plumage , and—unlike many rails—they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water.

Feb 22, 2023 · The American Coot is an aquatic member of the rail family about the same size as a chicken or small duck. This plump bird has blackish plumage that is more velvet black on the thick neck and head, and with dark gray highlights on the body.

Sep 7, 2024 · The American Coot (Fulica americana) is a versatile and adaptable aquatic bird. You can recognize it by its distinctive dark plumage, white bill, and large toes. Adults measure 12 to 16 inches long and weigh around 1.5 to 3.2 pounds.

Photos and videos of this bird species with detailed captions, including males, females, juveniles, geographic forms, color morphs, and typical habitat.

Plump, chicken-like bird that acts like a duck. Gray overall with blacker head and white bill. Tiny tail and short wings. Feet are large, yellow-green, and oddly lobed. Head jerks back and forth when swimming. Forages for aquatic vegetation anywhere with water: ponds, city parks, marshes, reservoirs, lakes, ditches, and saltmarshes.