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

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47 comments:

  1. Margaret Birding For PleasureNovember 4, 2014 at 4:37 AM

    A lovely bird to see and photograph.

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  2. RevrunnerNovember 4, 2014 at 4:51 AM

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

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  3. The CrankyNovember 4, 2014 at 5:08 AM

    Revrunner stole my comment! ;-)

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  4. AndyNovember 4, 2014 at 5:20 AM

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

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  5. BasiaWNovember 4, 2014 at 5:31 AM

    They're beautiful bird!

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  6. MersadNovember 4, 2014 at 5:32 AM

    Wonderful shots. The little thing looks at peace!

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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  7. eileeninmdNovember 4, 2014 at 5:58 AM

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

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  8. Buttons ThoughtsNovember 4, 2014 at 6:36 AM

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

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  9. Kerri FarleyNovember 4, 2014 at 7:28 AM

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

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  10. AnonymousNovember 4, 2014 at 7:37 AM

    It's a very fluffy looking bird!

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  11. Coloring Outside the LinesNovember 4, 2014 at 7:58 AM

    Super shots!

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  12. William KendallNovember 4, 2014 at 8:30 AM

    Quite a handsome bird!

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  13. TexWisGirlNovember 4, 2014 at 8:58 AM

    just adorable! great shots!

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  14. DarlaNovember 4, 2014 at 9:21 AM

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

    Darla

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  15. MadSnapperNovember 4, 2014 at 9:26 AM

    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.

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  16. Mary HoneNovember 4, 2014 at 9:36 AM

    They are such a quirky bird. Great shots!

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  17. 21 WitsNovember 4, 2014 at 9:50 AM

    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!

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  18. LynnNovember 4, 2014 at 10:41 AM

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

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  19. LoisNovember 4, 2014 at 11:04 AM

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

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  20. Sylvia KNovember 4, 2014 at 11:38 AM

    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!!

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  21. Linda W.November 4, 2014 at 12:13 PM

    Great shots, especially the one of it eating.

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  22. Pat TillettNovember 4, 2014 at 1:28 PM

    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!

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  23. RedPatNovember 4, 2014 at 1:28 PM

    I want to see its feet! ;-))

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  24. Adam JonesNovember 4, 2014 at 2:02 PM

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

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  25. JudyNovember 4, 2014 at 2:13 PM

    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!

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  26. ShammickiteNovember 4, 2014 at 2:30 PM

    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.

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  27. UnknownNovember 4, 2014 at 3:32 PM

    Beautiful birds. A little different from our European coots.

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  28. MontanagirlNovember 4, 2014 at 3:53 PM

    Nice shots! I like seeing the Coots.

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  29. sunshineNovember 4, 2014 at 4:13 PM

    Beautiful capture.

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  30. ElaNovember 4, 2014 at 4:51 PM

    Such a lovely bird ! Great photos !

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  31. hamiltonNovember 4, 2014 at 6:04 PM

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

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  32. JanieNovember 4, 2014 at 6:24 PM

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

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  33. MichelleNovember 4, 2014 at 8:00 PM

    Interesting bird that I was not familiar with!

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  34. CloudiaNovember 4, 2014 at 8:28 PM

    Thanks for teaching us about this strange bird!



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

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  35. StephanieNovember 4, 2014 at 8:37 PM

    Wonderful shots!

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  36. Ruth HiebertNovember 4, 2014 at 9:00 PM

    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.

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  37. Lisa GordonNovember 4, 2014 at 9:22 PM

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

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  38. Ginny HartzlerNovember 4, 2014 at 9:40 PM

    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!!

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  39. Grandma Barb's This and ThatNovember 4, 2014 at 10:41 PM

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

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  40. Grandma HoneyNovember 4, 2014 at 10:57 PM

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

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  41. A Colorful WorldNovember 5, 2014 at 12:17 PM

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

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  42. UnknownNovember 5, 2014 at 3:21 PM

    an interesting post with wonderful photos

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  43. Craver ViiNovember 5, 2014 at 3:36 PM

    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!

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  44. cieldequimperNovember 5, 2014 at 4:06 PM

    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!

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  45. NatureFootstepNovember 5, 2014 at 4:37 PM

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

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  46. ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®©November 5, 2014 at 10:14 PM

    What an interesting bird.

    Especially those feet!
    ~

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  47. IndraniNovember 7, 2014 at 2:38 AM

    Looks so beautiful against the blue! :)

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