American Coot
Fulica americana
Aves
COMMON
Stats
- Lifespan
- 9-22 yrs
- Size
- Medium
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Social
- Flock
- Biome
- Freshwater wetland
- Range
- North America
- Movement
- Swimming
- Breeding
- Egg-laying
- Defense
- Herd Safety
- Status
- Common
About
The American Coot is a slate-black waterbird with a bright white bill and frontal shield, easily mistaken for a duck despite belonging to the rail family. Unlike ducks, its toes are lobed rather than webbed — a unique adaptation that makes it equally agile swimming, diving, and walking on land.
Life cycle
- 1.eggA clutch of eggs is incubated in the nest, kept warm by a brooding parent until the chicks pip free.
- 2.hatchlingA naked or downy hatchling is fed in the nest by its parents.
- 3.juvenileA feathered juvenile fledges from the nest and learns to fly and forage.
- 4.adultFully grown with adult plumage.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Fulica
- Species
- Fulica americana