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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe birds are American Coots (Fulica americana), not ducks. They can look ducklike while swimming, but their dark bodies, bright white bills and foreheads, and long toes with broad skin lobes help identify them. Coots belong to the rail family, Rallidae.
The archived discussion describes birds at a pond in Fremont, California. The original photograph is no longer independently viewable at its preserved Photobucket link, so the identification here reflects the surviving discussion and the reported field marks rather than a new examination of the image.
How to identify an American Coot
Look for a plump, chickenlike waterbird with a dark gray body, rounded head, and sloping white bill. Adults have a white forehead shield, sometimes with a small red patch visible at close range, and yellow-green legs. Their toes have broad lobes of skin rather than the continuous webbing typical of duck feet. Cornell Lab’s American Coot identification guide describes these field marks.
Coots often swim in open water or near vegetation, sometimes alongside ducks. On land, their chickenlike profile and walk can make their identity clearer. No single clue proves an identification in a poor or distant photograph, so consider the bill, forehead, body shape, and feet together.
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American Coots and ducks: key differences
| Feature | American Coot | Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Rail family (Rallidae) | Duck family (Anatidae) |
| Bill and forehead | White bill and white forehead shield; a small red patch may show at close range | Varies by species; not the coot’s distinctive white bill-and-forehead combination |
| Feet | Long toes with broad skin lobes | Webbed feet |
| Appearance and behavior | Plump, chickenlike profile; swims, walks, and may dive to forage | Varies by species; often recognized by a ducklike profile and webbed feet |
The white facial markings can help at a distance; the lobed toes are most useful when you can see the feet clearly. Cornell’s overview notes that, although the American Coot swims like a duck, it does not have webbed feet like one.
Why coots look like ducks
American Coots spend much of their time on water, where their rounded bodies and swimming behavior can resemble those of ducks. They often share ponds and other wetlands with waterfowl, which makes the mix-up understandable. But coots are rails, not ducks, and their lobed toes are different from duck webbing.
Where American Coots live and what they eat
American Coots use a wide range of freshwater wetlands, including marshes, swamps, prairie potholes, suburban ponds, sewage ponds, and lake edges. A man-made pond can therefore be suitable habitat.
They eat mainly aquatic plants, along with animal prey such as insects, crustaceans, snails, tadpoles, salamanders, and other small vertebrates. They forage by picking food while walking or swimming, dabbling with the head underwater, and diving.
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Migration, calls, and flight
Movement varies by region. Northern populations migrate south toward the southern United States or Central America, while populations in the West and Florida may remain in the same general area year-round.
Cornell describes coot calls as grunting, croaking, and squawking; a common short note is rendered as “krrp” or “prik.” Coots can be clumsy fliers and typically run across the water while beating their wings to get airborne.
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FAQ
What kind of ducks are these?
They may be American Coots rather than ducks. Look for a dark body, white bill and forehead, and, if visible, long toes with broad lobes.
Are American Coots related to ducks?
No. American Coots belong to the rail family, Rallidae. Ducks belong to a different family, Anatidae.
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- Houghton Mifflin Field Guide to Birds of N.A. by Kaufman Field Guides - 0-618-57423-9
Do American Coots have webbed feet?
No. Their long toes have broad lobes of skin instead of the continuous webbing associated with duck feet. The lobes help with swimming and fold back as the bird lifts its feet on land.
Can American Coots fly?
Yes. They can fly, though they may run across the water while beating their wings to take off.
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Field marks, habitat, diet, calls, and seasonal movement are summarized from Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s American Coot identification guide and life-history account. The American Ornithological Society lists the species as Fulica americana in its online checklist.
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