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Photo by Tim Provan
Photo Courtesy of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
American Coot
Fulica americana
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G5
State (S-rank): S5
External links
General information
The American coot, Fulica americana, occurs from Canada to Argentina; at least northern populations are migratory. In Utah, the species is common throughout the state in all seasons, but somewhat less common in winter. Its habitats include ponds, lakes, and marshes. This rail eats mainly aquatic vegetation, but also consumes mollusks, insects, worms, seeds, berries, and fruits.
The nest of the American coot can be: 1) on a floating platform of vegetation, 2) in emergent vegetation or on branches in or over the water, or 3) on the ground or in a low shrub near water. Two to fifteen eggs (usually five to nine) are incubated by both parents for nineteen to twenty-four days. The precocial young are tended by both parents and are able to feed themselves by one month of age; they become independent at eight weeks of age. The American coot is a cooperative breeder, with young of the first brood of the season frequently participating in the care of later broods.
Females of this species may sometimes lay their eggs in the nests of other females - that is, they apparently are brood parasites of their own species - and clutches of more than thirteen eggs are probably the result of such intraspecific parasitism. The American coot is, however, rarely the host of other parasitic species, such as the ruddy duck and the redhead.
Species range
BREEDS: east-central Alaska (casual), southern Yukon east through central Manitoba to Prince Edward Island, south locally to southern Baja California, Gulf Coast, Florida, Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica, West Indies (not Puerto Rico or Virgin Islands). WINTERS: Pacific coast, and north to the southwestern U.S., lower Ohio Valley, and Maryland, south throughout Middle America, southeastern U.S., and West Indies to Panama and probably Colombia. RESIDENT in Hawaii and in South America in the Andes from Colombia south to western Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina. (AOU 1983). Birds from North America apparently are regularly present as nonbreeding visitors in Hawaii (Pratt 1987).
Migration
Generally arrives in northern breeding areas March-May, departs by October-November (in portion of range in which it is migratory, especially northern inland areas) (Bent 1926). Migrants arrive in Costa Rica generally by October, most depart by end of April (Stiles and Skutch 1989).
Habitat
Freshwater lakes, ponds, marshes, and larger rivers, wintering also on brackish estuaries and bays. Also on land bordering these habitats. Calm open water with plenty of algae and other aquatic vegetation (Stiles and Skutch 1989). Typically builds floating nest among marsh plants in 30-100 cm of water (Harrison 1979). In south-central Saskatchewn, nesting habitat and reproductive effort and success were greatly reduced during drought (Sutherland 1991).
Food habits
Eats seeds, roots, and other plant material, insects, snails, small fishes, tadpoles, and other small organism; feeds on land and in water (at surface, by tipping up, and by diving) (Terres 1980).
Ecology
Nonbreeding: often in groups (Stiles and Skutch 1989).
Reproductive characteristics
Clutch size is 6-22 (most often 8-12 in North America; average about 6 in Hawaii). Incubation lasts 23-24 days, by both sexes. Young are tended by both parents, though brood may be divided between them. First flies probably at 7-8 weeks. Usually renests if first clutch is destroyed (Condor 95:273-281); easily able to produce many additional eggs (Auk 109:407-421).
References
- Ehrlich, P. R., D. S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988. The birder’s handbook[:] a field guide to the natural history of North American birds. Simon & Schuster, New York. xxx + 785 pp.
- Baicich, P. J., and C. J. O. Harrison. 1997. A guide to the nests, eggs, and nestlings of North American birds. 2nd ed. Academic, San Diego. 347 pp.
- Peterson, R. T., and V. M. Peterson. 1990. A field guide to western birds, 3rd ed. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. 432 pp.
