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.

The American coot is a migratory bird that occupies most of North America. It lives in the Pacific and southwestern United States and Mexico year-round and occupies more northeastern regions during the summer breeding season.

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.

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.

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. Usually in flocks, they are aggressive and noisy, making a …

They are genetically related to rails, moorhens, crakes, gallinules, and more. Most Coots have short beaks, fleshy frontal shields on their foreheads, and stout bodies. Their plumage is primarily black, though some species have a slight iridescent sheen. Read on to learn about the animal. Intrepid Coot - ice dancing!

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.

Nov 5, 2015 · 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.

A familiar black bird of our lakes, ponds and rivers, the coot is widespread; look out for its large and untidy-looking nest on the water in spring. The coot can be distinguished from the similar Moorhen by its white beak and 'shield', and its entirely black body.

Feb 22, 2023 · The American Coot is an odd, dark, duck-like bird that breeds in lakes, ponds, freshwater marshes, and other wetlands from the Great Lakes region to central and western Canada, much of the central and western USA, Mexico, and on several Caribbean islands.