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coot

Fulica americana

Photo by KarenSaxton
Published on Project Noah
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43.5757, -124.175

Field Notes

Description:

Grey black birds with a white chicken like beak is a swimming rail rather than a duck. The dull brown bird is a juvenile

Habitat:

In a pond in the middle of a neighborhood near the ocean

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
HemaShah
Yes the feet are really cool!
KarenSaxton
They are divers(or maybe they are diverse) and they also "graze" among the weed and along shore, being omnivorous. They are also called marsh hens or mud hens. They have the coolest feet with a series of flat round disks on their feet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Coot The article makes me appreciate them all the more: despite the huge numbers they often gather in especially during the winter
HemaShah
These are simple but attractive. When they stand they look more like hens than ducks. How do they look for food? i have never seen them dive under water .or for that matter I have never seen them stick their heads into the water too.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
WILD Cities: Urban Biodiversity
Mission
Birds of the World
Photographed
PublishedNovember 30, 2011

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