Who are you calling an "old coot?"
You’ve probably heard the term “Old Coot” at some point. The phrase was used in the 1700’s to describe a simple person. “It is a slang term for an old person, particularly an old man, usually one with a negative outlook on life and a touchy temper.” Further, "Coot" is an old Dutch word for waterfowl which dates back to about 1300.” They were likely referring to birds similar to our American Coot.
Often described as looking like a cross between a chicken and a duck, Birds of the World characterizes the American Coot as follows:
“An awkward and often clumsy flier, the coot requires long running takeoffs across the water's surface to become airborne. It is, however, an accomplished swimmer and diver, maneuvering underwater with the aid of lobately webbed toes. Although the coot will consume grains, grasses, and agricultural crops on land, it generally forages in or under water, where it is almost exclusively an herbivore.”
American Coots favor East End and Forest Bay Ponds because of the abundance of aquatic plants.
Until recently, two types of coots were found on Anguilla. The “Caribbean Coot” was seen almost exclusively on East End Pond. This contributed, at least in part, to the site’s designation as a protected area.
All of that changed when the two species merged as our friends at Birds Caribbean tell us in their September 2016 newsletter:
“CARIBBEAN COOT – NOT A UNIQUE SPECIES
The Caribbean Coot (formerly Fulica caribaea) was – until recently – considered to be its own species of coot endemic to the Caribbean Basin (residing in Venezuela as well as the West Indies). It is a regular member of wetland communities where it can be seen swimming on ponds and lakes as well as walking about on the shore.
It was historically thought that Caribbean Coots and their very similar appearing congener, the American Coot, were separate species. As of this year, however, the AOU has decided that Caribbean Coots actually belong to the American Coot species.1 The best evidence for this comes from research on their breeding biology by Douglas McNair and Carol Cramer-Burke.2 It seems that St. Croix Caribbean and American Coots choose mates randomly with no regard for species, implying that there is no reproductive isolation on St. Croix. While occasional hybridization is ok, if the two were actually unique species, birds would have at least some preference (a strong preference, in fact) for breeding with fellow birds from their own species.”
This was not surprising as I had seen both types breeding together on our salt ponds over the years.
American Coots engage in epic battles, especially during the breeding season, to defend territory, mates, and offspring.
While these breeding residents have a few nests on East End Pond, they prefer Forest Bay Pond. The Forest Bay Pond site is more secluded with less traffic than the East End Pond location. Thanks to heavy rains over the last few months, Forest Bay Pond has seen considerable vegetation growth leading to more privacy for these birds.
Nest sites are often reused at this location. With ever-shifting water levels, a rebuild is necessary. The female takes on most of the nest building with the assistance of the male.
The clutch usually contains 8 to 12 eggs and is incubated for 23 to 27 days. Chicks can leave the nest within six hours of hatching but may remain for one to two days.
Juvenile birds fly by 75 days and are forced out of their natal territory by their parents at 80 days.
I was lucky to find an active nest on Forest Bay Pond during the Caribbean Waterbird Census in late January 2025. It was close to the pond's edge, but well hidden by the Buttonwoods.
In February during the Great Backyard Bird Count, I found two newly hatched chicks in the nest. Through a narrow window in the dense mangrove, I captured a view into the lives of this growing family. Looking closely, you can see the adult feeding small bits of food to the chick.
Another “awe isn’t that cute” moment on Anguilla’s salt ponds.🐣
It was my first time witnessing an active Coot nest with new chicks. It is more common to see an adult incubating in the nest and/or chicks following the adults around the pond.
I couldn’t see inside the nest to look for more eggs. I also can’t rule out that other chicks hatched before my visit and were in another location on the pond.
There is a lot more information available on this species and the interaction between the parents and chicks as they develop. If you want to learn more, I encourage you to try Birds of the World. The species account is quite extensive.
Birds Caribbean - Caribbean Coot Not a Unique Species
Birds of the World Citation
Brisbin Jr., I. L. and T. B. Mowbray (2020).American Coot(Fulica americana), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.y00475.01
https://www.whistlernaturalists.ca/single-post/crazy-old-coot-and-other-weird-sayings
very interesting!!!
Lolol... you have to laugh at its name but she sure takes care of her young ones.