Common in freshwater marshes, ponds, lakes and rivers, the American Coot feeds on aquatic vegetation, fish, aquatic invertebrates and occasionally eggs of other aquatic nesting bird species. Its floating nest is made of dead reeds and grass and is anchored in dense vegetation. Females will often lay their eggs in the nests of other female coots to be raised by the foster parents. During the winter, flocks of these birds regularly congregate on golf course ponds, fairways and tees where they walk around on their extra large feet and disrupt golfers.
