American Coot

BIRD TALK: AMERICAN COOT

By Greg Dunne 
                                                 
March 14, 2021 (East County Lakes) - The crazy old Coots are out. No, no, no, I’m talking about the American Coot (Fulica americana), also known as the Mud Hen. And yes, that’s where the origin of the affectionate term “old coot” came from. By the 1700s, the term “old coot” was often used for “a harmless, simple person.” 

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