The American coot is a common waterbird found across North America. With its dark plumage, white bill, and red eyes, the American coot has a distinctive appearance that makes it easy to identify. By learning key identification features, habitat, behavior, and range, birdwatchers can confidently recognize these charismatic swimmers. Read on to learn more about identifying American coots!
What does an American coot look like?
American coots are medium-sized waterbirds, measuring 14-18 inches (35-45 cm) in length with a wingspan of 20-28 inches (50-70 cm). They have plump bodies and short legs that sit far back on the body, giving them a chicken-like profile when swimming. The most distinctive feature of American coots is their broad white bill and frontal shield, which covers the area between the eyes. While this frontal shield starts out white in younger birds, it often develops a reddish-brown tinge as the birds age. American coots have red eyes and short, rounded heads. Their necks are relatively long and slender compared to their compact bodies.
The plumage of American coots is dark gray on the head, neck, breast, and belly. The mantle feathers have a browner tone. The wings are also dark gray but show some white on the secondaries when spread. The undertail coverts are blackish-gray. The legs and feet are yellowish-green, with wide lobes on the toes that help propel the bird through water. American coots lack webbed feet; instead, their lobed toes help them paddle efficiently. In flight, American coots display bright white lining on the underside of the wings.
Do males and females look different?
There is little sexual dimorphism, or physical difference, between male and female American coots. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males, but the size difference is modest. By plumage alone, it is very difficult to distinguish males from females. During the breeding season, the most reliable way to tell males and females apart is to watch their behavior – males are territorial and aggressive, while females are secretive as they incubate eggs.
What are similar looking birds I might confuse with an American coot?
American coots bear a strong resemblance to several other swimming bird species, especially at a distance. Here are some key look-alikes to keep in mind:
- Eurasian Coot – Closely related to and often mistaken for American coots, but Eurasian coots occur only accidentally in North America.
- Pied-billed Grebe – Similar dark plumage overall but grebes have pointed bills and lack lobes on toes.
- American Crow – All black plumage but with heavier bill and no frontal shield.
- Anhinga – When swimming with just its head poking out, can appear similar to a coot.
- Cormorant – All dark waterbird but with thicker neck, bill shape, and bright facel patch.
- Moorhen – More chicken-like with thicker bill, no shield, red frontal plate.
- American Purple Gallinule – Bright purple frontal shield and long yellow legs distinguish this species.
Taking note of key features like bill shape, leg color, and facial shield presence helps distinguish coots from look-alike species. With practice, the coot’s unique profile becomes easy to recognize.
Where do American coots live?
American coots breed across much of North America. Their breeding range stretches from Alaska and Canada southward through the western United States into Mexico. Along the Atlantic coast, they nest from Nova Scotia to Florida. American coots occur year-round throughout much of their breeding range, although northern populations migrate south for the winter. They are short- to medium-distance migrants, traveling only as far south as needed to find open water and food.
During the breeding season, American coots seek out small ponds, marshes, and wetlands with dense emergent vegetation. They build floating nests anchored to vegetation. The rest of the year, they inhabit a wide range of open freshwater habitats, including lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams, and large ponds. Coastal populations may also use estuaries and protected bays.
What habitats do American coots use?
American coots utilize a variety of aquatic habitats at different times of year. During the breeding season, they prefer shallow freshwater wetlands with an abundance of emergent vegetation. Ideal breeding ponds and marshes have a mix of dense vegetation and open water. Vegetation like cattails, bulrushes, pondweed, and water lilies provides cover and anchoring sites for nests. Open water allows for swimming and feeding. American coots often nest in loose colonies.
Outside of breeding season, American coots expand their habitat use to a greater diversity of open, freshwater sites. Large lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and ponds provide ample room for foraging and roosting. Coastal coot populations may also be found in estuarine habitats like tidal creeks and bays during winter. As long as the water remains unfrozen, coots continue to use liquid habitats throughout winter.
What do American coots eat?
American coots are omnivorous, feeding on a diverse mix of plant and animal material. The bulk of their diet consists of algae, aquatic plants, and grasses. They also feed heavily on invertebrates like insects, snails, crustaceans, tadpoles and fish eggs. When the opportunity arises, they may eat small fish and amphibians as well. American coots employ a variety of foraging techniques to access this broad diet:
- Grazing on aquatic vegetation and algae
- Digging in bottom sediment for plant material and invertebrates
- Filter feeding tiny plankton
- Plucking invertebrates from vegetation
- Surface plunging for larger prey
Their varied diet allows American coots to thrive on a wide range of freshwater habitats across the seasons. They are well equipped to make the most of whatever food resources are available in a given area.
What is interesting American coot behavior to look for?
American coots exhibit some interesting behaviors to watch for:
- Foraging Tap Dance – Coots tip their heads underwater to grab food bits, then lift back up and tap water off their bills in a rhythmic dance.
- Fights – Highly territorial, coots engage in vigorous fights using their lobed feet to kick each other.
- Migrating in Lines – During migration, coots often form linear flocks numbering in the hundreds.
- Nest Building – Breeding pairs build elaborate floating nests of wet vegetation anchored to reeds.
- Brood Defense – Coot parents fiercely defend eggs and chicks, chasing away threats.
- Sunbathing – Perching on prominent objects to preen and sunbathe is common.
Taking time to observe American coots often rewards viewers with fascinating behaviors not seen in many other waterbirds.
What do American coot calls sound like?
The vocal repertoire of American coots includes a wide array of guttural croaks, grunts, and wheezes. The most common call is a simple, two-noted “kek-kek” heard in various social situations. Males give loud, emphatic territorial advertisement calls described as repetitious “kowp” notes. Other aggressive calls include groans, wheezes, and rattles. During courtship, pairs may engage in call-and-response duets. American coots also produce soft whistles and murmurs when in close contact. Young chicks communicate with high-pitched, uneven peeping calls.
When and where should I look for American coots?
American coots can be found year-round throughout their breeding range in North America, although as wetlands freeze in winter, they congregate in the areas of open water available. Spring offers excellent opportunities to observe courtship behavior and nesting activity. Shallow ponds and marshes with an abundance of emergent vegetation are the best places to observe breeding activity. Be on the lookout for territorial fights and nest building.
During fall and winter, search for American coots on larger water bodies that remain unfrozen. Scan flocks of ducks and other waterfowl for the distinctive white bills and frontal shields of coots intermixed. Reservoirs, rivers, and coastal estuaries are good sites. Though not always in dense congregations, coots continue to actively forage through cold months.
During spring and fall migrations, wetlands along migration routes may temporarily hold large numbers of American coots at once as flocks stop to rest and feed. This offers a chance to see lines and rafts of hundreds of coots together.
What conservation issues affect American coots?
Although still abundant across North America, American coot numbers have declined somewhat in recent decades according to monitoring data. Loss of wetland breeding habitat is likely reducing populations in some regions. As with many birds, climate change may also pose long-term threats to breeding and migration patterns.
American coots face a variety of other threats throughout their range:
- Wetland drainage and degradation
- Increased severity of droughts
- Pollution and water quality deterioration
- Disturbance of nesting colonies
- Lead poisoning from fishing tackle
- Hunting in some regions
Protection and restoration of wetland habitats across North America is the most important conservation need for American coots. Reduction of pollution and harmful contaminants is also beneficial. Sustainable water use policies that maintain adequate water levels in lakes and ponds year-round are crucial as well.
Conclusion
With its unique profile and engaging behaviors, the American coot stands out among North American waterbirds. Birdwatchers can readily identify this species by its dark plumage, white bill and frontal shield, red eyes, and lobed feet. Although they occupy a variety of waterbodies, look for American coots especially in shallow ponds and marshes with abundant emergent vegetation during breeding season. Conserving wetland habitats across the continent remains crucial to maintaining healthy coot populations into the future.
