The bird obsession continues into February! This month we are featuring the American Coot. Now is the perfect time to go out and search for this duck look-alike. It’s actually a species of rail! We have a few summer residents but we have thousands of residents during the colder months of October-April. You can identify this bird based on its unique beak which is conical and white in shape. It actually extends upwards to create a “shield”. They are dark gray to black in color with red eyes. You can also notice them via their striking yellow/green long legs but the real trick is to look at their feet! They do not have webbed feet like ducks rather just webbed or lobed toes that fold away when walking on land.
Do you enjoy floating in the water? So do American Coots! They can actually be seen in “rafts” of hundreds to thousands of waterbirds that can include multiple species. They also build floating nests of about 12″ diameter woven from reeds, cattails, sedges, and grasses. They have 1-2 broodes each year and each clutch can have 8-12 eggs. A large clutch size aids their healthy population numbers. Check out some more facts below!
The American Coot weighs around 1.4 pounds, with a length of 12.5 inches. Their wingspan is only around 24 inches, making their takeoff not as smooth as other aquatic birds. American Coots can not take off from dry ground. They need water for take off, so be sure to help them out if they visit a puddle that ends up drying out on them! Their lifespan is around 20 years, spent in open water such as lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Whichever water source, it must have a some standing water and a significant shoreline of aquatic vegetation for their voracious consumption. Algae and invertebrates too!
The Coot’s conservation status is of low concern, but stewardship action is still needed. We must prioritize protecting wetlands and freshwater by reducing chemical run off, as these chemicals can “bioaccumulate” within an individual if their aquatic vegetation is exposed to fertilizers through runoff.
Education Activities:
Join us for our “Brilliant Birds of the Wetlands” community program on Sunday, Feb. 16th 2 PM-4 PM at the wetland. Add it to your calendar!
