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.

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.

Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect the range of the American Coot. Learn even more in our Audubon’s Survival By Degrees project.

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.

The Coot is a small members of the rail, or Rallidae, family. 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.

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.

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.

General description: The American coot is a dark, duck-like bird. Size: Coots are about 15 inches long. Color: Coots are black or dark gray, with a chicken-like white bill, red eye, and small red spot at the top of its bill.