Ocean View Foundation

American Coot (Fulica americana) a.k.a. Mud-Hen, Blue Peter

The American coot is an interesting bird that is generally only seen on Block Island during the winter months - and not every winter.

American coots are relatively easily identified by a few striking field marks, such as:

a mostly all black plumage. The head and neck is a dull solid black, while the body is more of a bluish-slate colored black. Occasionally the white-tipped outer tail coverts and secondary wing feathers can be seen, but usually only in flight.
a distinctive white bill with a horn-colored tip.
a red eye that can be difficult to see.
a small unfeathered forehead shield.
large lobed feet.

One of the most interesting things about the American coot is that so many of its characteristics contradict what is expected when considering other species in the same family.

Although American coots may appear very duck-like, they are in the rail family of birds. Thus they are more closely related to rails and gallinules, which are secretive, long-legged and toed, short-tailed, marsh stalking birds.

Like most rails, coots do have short tails and are often found in marshy habitats. However it is in the open water part of a marshland that coots are most apt to be seen.

Unlike most rails, coots:

are powerful swimmers and good divers.
have lobed toes that act as good swimming paddles, but allow for efficient distribution of weight on marsh vegetation.
have more rounded bodies with dense water-repellant plumage.
are less secretive and more gregarious, often seen in large, protective, flocks.

Unlike ducks, coots:

have short pointed chicken-like bills
have relatively long legs and do not have webbed feet
maneuver well in open fields feeding on grasses, seeds, and small bits of animal life

American coot numbers are much reduced from what they were in the early to mid-1900s. Initially numbers declined because of heavy hunting pressures. Although not known for their good eating they were easy marks for novice gunners and were often taken in large numbers because they interfered with the sport of hunting more traditional game. In the later part of the 1900's, loss of marsh and slough habitats has contributed to the decline of American coot.

The range of the American coot is quite wide spread. They can be found wintering throughout the southern and coastal areas of the United States, Mexico and Central America. The availability of open water is an important component of the coots wintering grounds. Breeding areas include Mexico, western and central portions of the United States and Canada.

To learn more about the antics and life history of the American coot, see the following references, which were used in producing this page:

	Frank Chapman, Birds of Eastern North America (1895)
	Edward Howe Forbush, Birds of Massachusetts and Other New England States (1927)
	National Geographic Society, Field Guide to the Birds of North America (2nd edition, 1987)
	David Allen Sibley, The Sibley Guide to Birds (2000)
	David Allen Sibley, The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior (2001)

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