American Coot

Fulica americana Gmelin, JF, 1789

Rallidae — Rails, Crakes & Coots

American Coot, Fulica americana, is a rail found across North, Middle and South America, from Alaska and Canada to Costa Rica, with a further range in northern South America. It belongs to the family Rallidae and the order Gruiformes. It is often mistaken for a duck, but it is set apart by its broad, lobed scales on the lower legs and toes, which fold back as it walks on land. It lives close to water in wetlands and open water bodies, and it is a migratory bird.

Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae — Rails, Crakes & Coots
Breeding range: North America, Middle America, South America: Alaska and Canada to Costa Rica, also n South America