Swims like a duck, has beak like chicken
No thing as 'just a coot'
March 25, 2001

Binoculars are raised. The marsh is still frozen except for a small area of open water. A dark figure appears among the numerous sandhill cranes. What is it? "Just a coot." To a curious naturalist, there is no such thing as a "just a."

Just what is a coot? It swims like a duck, has a chicken-like white beak, the only highlight on its dusky form, a ridiculously stubby tail. Its toes are not webbed. Instead they have a series of flaps along each toe, which may serve for paddling after a fashion, which appears to be somewhat of an effort, causing the head to pump back and forth. The brilliant flash of a red eye is an identifiable feature. They are noted for their skittering take offs.

The favorite habitat of coots are shallow ponds or marshes where reeds, rushes and cattails are abundant. Nests are numerous in the right environment. The structures are described as volcano-shaped cups woven of reeds. They are not floating, but firmly anchored, interwoven with stems of cattails of bulrushes. Dummy nests are often constructed, but the female lays eggs in only one.

the "just a" of coots is due to their commonness. What is the secret of their survival and abundance? An average of 8 to 12 eggs, and sometimes more are laid. As incubation occurs during egg-laying, young birds do not all hatch at once. What emerges from a coot egg is quite a surprise. The parents may be drab in color, but the chicks are as gaudy as a colorful tropical bird, worth of a description.

The hatchling has a bald, pink-purple pate above which is erected a mass of nearly invisible down. The naked skin on the brow is painted an iridescent lavender-purple. From the base of the red beak, stubby orange feathers spread backward across the face. Frazzled filamentous orange or yellow feathers cover its dark undercoat. No ugly duckling!

The chicks are very precocious, leaving the nest almost immediately.

Although coot parents work hard to provide the youngsters with the aquatic vertebrates they eat, their discipline is generally ineffectual and cootlings soon become marsh wise. Wayward young generally take refuge in the nearest cattails or rushes. Attempts to dive may end up with head-only because of their bouyancy.

Coots are rated as belligerent, quick-tempered birds when in their territory, and although they may get along with other ducks, they will charge at another coot.

Coots are noisy, given to almost a constant series of coo-coo-coos or kuk-kawks day and night.

Not generally considered a delicacy, there are those who have special recipes and relish them.