American Coot

American Coot

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American Coot, juvenile, 26 June 2004, Montezuma NWR, Seneca County, NY

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

Often mistaken for a duck, the American Coot is a common waterbird. Its all black body and white chicken-like beak distinguish this swimming rail from the real ducks.

Description

• All black.
• Swims and dives.
• White bill with black mark near tip.
• Bill triangular like a chicken's, not flat like a duck's.
• White stripe on sides of undertail.

Sex Differences

Sexes alike.

Sound

Calls scratchy clucking noises and series of "kuk-kuk-kuk" notes.

Conservation Status

Common and widespread. Hunted in many areas.

Other Names

Foulque d'Amérique (French)
Gallareta americana (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Although it swims like a duck, the American Coot does not have webbed feet like a duck. Instead of having all the toes connected by webs, each coot toe has lobes on the sides of each segment.

Sources used to construct this page:

Brisbin, I. L., Jr., H. D. Pratt, and T. B. Mobray. 2002. American Coot (Fulica americana) and Hawaiian Coot (Fulica alai). In The Birds of North America, No. 697 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.