Tuesday, November 4, 2014

American Coot

 American Coot (Fulica americana)

An American Coot looks a lot like a duck but it's not.  For one thing, it doesn't have webbed feet. On land it looks more like a chicken. But it does swim very well and even dives, propelling itself with lobes on its toes.

 Note the red spot on its forehead

This coot is most likely on its way to a warmer clime. This bay is merely a stopover.

Note its red eye and pointy white beak

Oh goody! Something yummy!

Eating ravenously

I'm not sure what this coot is eating, some kind of algae maybe.

I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

47 comments:

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

A lovely bird to see and photograph.

Revrunner said...

I'm not sure, but I think you just described me as being an old coot. :-)

The Cranky said...

Revrunner stole my comment! ;-)

Andy said...

Thanks to you Camera Girl I am learning new things about the world of birding. I never knew anything about Coots until now.

BasiaW said...

They're beautiful bird!

Mersad said...

Wonderful shots. The little thing looks at peace!

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

eileeninmd said...

Great series on the Coot.. It does have a mouthful on that last shot. Have a happy Tuesday!

Buttons Thoughts said...

I have never seen one of these Coots before beautiful. Hug B

Kerri Farley said...

Excellent! and I have always thought of them as ducks :) Thanks for the info!

Anonymous said...

It's a very fluffy looking bird!

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Super shots!

William Kendall said...

Quite a handsome bird!

TexWisGirl said...

just adorable! great shots!

Darla said...

Nothing like a good meal. I wonder where the saying "old coot" comes from.

Darla

MadSnapper said...

he is beautiful... i laughed when i saw the name American Coot. my mom had two nicknames for daddy, Old Goat and Old Coot... and he was American.

Mary Hone said...

They are such a quirky bird. Great shots!

21 Wits said...

I adore these coots, and they always travel in such large crowds where I live. What could be more perfect, lovely water and breakfast ready for them to be snatched out of the lovely blue waters!

Lynn said...

he is sweet, interesting to learn that the A C is not a duck, lovely shots!

Lois said...

The coot almost looks like it is smiling in that first shot!

Sylvia K said...

I never knew about a Coot!! What a handsome fellow he is!! I'd love to see his non-web feet!! Terrific captures as always, EG!!

Linda W. said...

Great shots, especially the one of it eating.

Pat Tillett said...

We have a lot of coots around here. They have a lot of character. I'm happy to say that they live here all year.

Very nice photos! Somehow, I never noticed that they didn't have webbed feet. Thanks!

RedPat said...

I want to see its feet! ;-))

Adam Jones said...

Great pictures. Very similar to our native Coot in the UK, apart form the red above the bill.

Judy said...

It's an interesting bird, all right!
My Mom finally got the letter with your image of the monarch butterfly, and she loves the photo!! Thank you again for allowing me to send it to her!

Shammickite said...

Nice study of an unusual bird. Interesting that they are water birds but don't have webbed feet. They obviously missed out when the webs were being given out.

Unknown said...

Beautiful birds. A little different from our European coots.

Montanagirl said...

Nice shots! I like seeing the Coots.

sunshine said...

Beautiful capture.

Ela said...

Such a lovely bird ! Great photos !

hamilton said...

Great shots of the old coot! (I've tried many, many times, without any success of getting a crisp shot.)

Janie said...

I never knew a coot doesn't have webbed feet like a duck! Great pics of him getting something tasty to eat.

Michelle said...

Interesting bird that I was not familiar with!

Cloudia said...

Thanks for teaching us about this strange bird!



ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>

Stephanie said...

Wonderful shots!

Ruth Hiebert said...

Great pictures. I think the babies are the cutest,ugliest things I've ever seen.They are cute in their own way,but kind of ugly as well.

Lisa Gordon said...

He sure is a beauty!
I love that red eye.

Ginny Hartzler said...

A duck with no webbed feet??? Outrageous! I did notice his pointy beak right away. I don't think I have ever seen one, so now I will know!!

Grandma Barb's This and That said...

I always thought they were a duck. Funny that they can swim without webbed feet.

Grandma Honey said...

I don't know what that coot is eating either. Some things are best not to know!

A Colorful World said...

This one may end up in S AZ where I had my sighting last spring! Nice shots!

Unknown said...

an interesting post with wonderful photos

Craver Vii said...

Good pics!

This made me curious to see what their feet look like. I found an image here. I have never seen anything like this!

cieldequimper said...

It does look a bit like the seaweed that goes pop when you press it... Lovely little bird, I would have mistaken it for a duck!

NatureFootstep said...

that one looks very different from our coots. Great to see it.:)

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

What an interesting bird.

Especially those feet!
~

Indrani said...

Looks so beautiful against the blue! :)

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East Gwillimbury is a rural town less than an hour north of Toronto, Canada's largest city. My family calls me CameraGirl because I take my camera with me wherever I go.