Fulica americana americana

(Gmelin, 1789)

Vernacular names
English : American coot
French : Foulque d’Amérique

Classification
Class : Aves
Order : Gruiformes
Family : Rallidae
Notes : 1 other subspecies known

Identification
Adults can reach 43 cm in length for a weight of 848 g. Its legs are dull yellow with very long toes. Plumage dark slaty grey, becoming darker on top of neck and head. Bill and forehead shield white with dark tip of bill and dark red top of shield.

Range and habitat
The species occurs from extreme south Alaska and central Canada to most of USA, Central America and extreme north South-America in Colombia. Lives in lakes, slow moving rivers and open marshes with reed fringes.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species is common to abundant in most of its range but has experienced local declines because of over-hunting as considered a game species.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation
Wild (Oklahoma City OK, USA)

 

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