The photos of the Coot shaking his food are great! Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Currently this species is classified as Least Concern (LC), but its numbers today are decreasing. I like the tail shot with the feathers…. American Coot with food – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Wow, as always your images are a joy to see. The birds that came in the closest were Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots so I focused on both species as they dove under the water in search of food. The second one made me guffaw out loud! The diet of American Coots includes aquatic and terrestrial vegetation, aquatic invertebrates, snails, worms and amphibians. Both sexes incubate and they are monogamous. Both sexes incubate and they are monogamous. During winter, they occur in the southern United States from Florida to California. 8 to 10 pink eggs with brown spots are laid at a time. Although now widespread and abundant, the American coot suffered huge declines during the late 18th century and the early 19th century due to hunting and loss of wetland in its main breeding areas in the mid-west of the United States and in east-central Canada. I have seen the funny behavior often in the rehab when we have to feed birds who are not self feeding due to health conditions. Male and female both start off displaying in front of each other and calling to one another, while they splash about. I've seen a few Rough-legged Hawks but have never been…, Gnatcatchers, Kinglets, Dippers and Others, Mockingbirds, Thrashers, Catbirds, Starlings and Pipits, Waxwings, Longspurs and Silky-Flycatchers. Water droplets were flying everywhere. These birds can make a wide range of noises, from clucking to grunting, to communicate with each other and also to threaten predators. Diet. One of the American Coots brought up a bill filled with aquatic vegetation so I focused on it because I know they can look funny while they are trying to gulp down their food. Diet: Mainly eats aquatic plants and algae, also some terrestrial vegetation, aquatic invertebrates, and vertebrates. Funny photo I am glad you caught it . Some of the Birds I love at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Wild and Wonderful – Antelope Island State Park – The Scenery, Wild and Wonderful – Antelope Island State Park – The Birds, Wild and Wonderful – Antelope Island State Park – The Wildlife, Journey to Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge – an Oasis in the West Desert of Utah, Photographing An Immature Ferruginous Hawk Hunting For Breakfast, Focusing On Adult Male Rough-legged Hawks, Adult American Robin Gobbling Down A Crabapple – Thanksgiving 2020, Hen And Drake American Wigeon Pair Close To Home, Autumn American Bison Bull And The Great Salt Lake, Adult Common Raven On A Sign At Bear River MBR. At home when I could see the photos I had taken on a much larger screen I nearly choked on my laughter when I saw this image of the coot vigorously shaking its food, the coot almost looks cross-eyed and I wasn’t aware that they could physically do that. American Coot vigorously shaking its food – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light. A group of coots can be called a “commotion”, “shoal”, “swarm” and “fleet” of coots. The photo of the coot shaking his food is hilarious ! Ospreys (a type of hawk) are their main predator. Nicknames for this bird are "mud hen" or "marsh hen", due to the way its head bobs when it walks or swims. Individuals have been sighted as far as Alaska in the north and South America in the south, always along waterways. 2. Being freshwater birds, they live in the shallow parts of freshwater ponds, lakes, or marshes, and sometimes in brackish water. After I finally got my site moved to the new server I took a much needed break and went to the local pond to see what birds were there in the late afternoon light. American Coot on The IUCN Red List site -, covert or cover, raft, odgery, commotion, shoal, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_coot, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/62169677/0. Great shots! On two occasions a coot will splash: in the mating season for the purpose of attracting attention, and also to discourage predators. An American coot is omnivorous and eats invertebrates, algae, plants, and small vertebrates such as fish and tadpoles, occasionally, eggs of other marsh birds, … The waterborne American coot has a small head and thin legs. Its dark body and white face is a common sight on nearly any open water throughout the continent, often mixing with ducks. Thanks Mia. Oh what a treat - for you, and for us. Many birds can see that way, I am not sure how clearly. They share the tasks of feeding and teaching the young, dividing the hatchlings between them. It’s good…, Outstanding photographs! This species in some areas is now regarded as an agricultural pest, such as on golf courses and in rice fields, and, being a listed game bird, about 8,000 are killed each year in Canada and about 880,000 in the United States. Incubation: Both parents incubate the eggs for 21 to 25 days. The American coot is known to steal food from other birds. American coots are monogamous and pairs stay together for life. My site was getting settled into its roost on the new server at the time and there was a bit of a hiccup. The mating process starts with great show. They will also eat small crustaceans, snails, salamanders and tadpoles. Breeding occurs around May and June. American coots affect the populations of aquatic plants and invertebrates that they eat. The mating process starts on the water and finishes on the land. The American Coot will dive for food, such as small fish, but they prefer to forage on plant material. I wasn’t disappointed when the coot shook the water off of the green vegetation it had brought up from the bottom of the pond. I don’t know if you can get that shot in the wild. American coots are migratory, and they migrate as a flock, but their migration is weather-based and therefore is highly irregular. During the winter they can also be found in coastal inlets and bays. Want to have an email notification land in your inbox right after I publish a post? In summer, American coots are found in New York and Massachusetts in the northern United States, and in southern Canada. You would have to be head on when they are tossing the food up and positioning it to swallow. The north wind was bitter cold and it made my fingers smart but it felt so good to be away from my desk and the computer screen. The coot dives to retrieve plants that grow on the bottom of ponds. Even though American coots swim like a duck, their feet are not webbed feet, as each segment of their toes has lobes on the side. Beautiful bird ain't it? Do not download, display, PIN, print, hotlink, reproduce or use my images without my permission. Coots are kleptoparasitic, meaning that sometimes they do not hunt for their own food, but steal it from other birds. They occasionally live in manmade ponds in parks and golf courses. Please do not share my images on Pinterest, Tumblr or other image sharing sites. . The diet of American Coots includes aquatic and terrestrial vegetation, aquatic invertebrates, snails, worms and amphibians. They also serve as prey for predators which share their habitats. In some areas coots are year round residents and in other areas they are migratory. The American coot eats small aquatic animals like fish and tadpoles as well as insects and vegetation. American Coots are almost always amusing to me because coots make a lot noise, they squabble often, they fight, can be messy eaters, they have large, funny looking feet and catching some of their behaviors in photos can be fun. Great series of shots. They have a ramp leading into the water for easier access for the young. Thank you. Foods range from pondweeds, duckweeds, algae, … Some can see even better when they open their beak and look down between the mandibles. It gives them a snobby look. Nesting and reproduction: American Coots will build several "dummy" nests that are used during courtship and for brooding young. Life Cycle. A group of coots is called by many names, including a "codgery", "commotion", “shoal”, “swarm” and "fleet" of coots. American coots are the only member in the rail family truly adapted to living on the water. According to the IUCN Red List, the total American coot population size is estimated at 6 million individuals. Nicknames for American Coots include “Marsh Hen” and “Mud Hen”. Thanks ,Mia…that definitely brought a smile to my face this fine morning! American Coots prefer habitats which include ponds, lakes and marshes. Thanks again…. Nests are at the edge of reed cover at the pond’s edge. Food Habits While typically herbivores, coots are opportunistic and eat a highly varied diet depending on their current habitat. American Coots lay 2 to 12 eggs which hatch in 21 to 25 days. Clutch Size: 9 to 10 eggs. Breeding begins in May and June.
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