American coot old. The American coot is a migratory bird that occupies most of North America. It lives in the Pacific and southwestern United States and Mexico year-round and occupies more northeastern regions during the summer breeding season. In the winter they can be found as far south as Panama. Coots generally build floating nests and lay 8–12 eggs per clutch. Females and males have similar appearances, but they can be distinguished during aggressive displays by the larger ruff (head plumage) on the male. American coots eat primarily algae and other aquatic plants but also animals (both vertebrates and invertebrates) when available.
Horned coot Horned coot The horned coot ("Fulica cornuta") is a species of bird found in the Andes of South America. It was described by Bonaparte in 1853 based on a specimen collected in Bolivia. For a long time it was known only from the type specimen. Horned coot males average a little larger than the female. With a total length of 46–62 cm (18–24 in) and a reported body mass from , it averages slightly smaller than the related giant coot as the second largest coot and the third largest extant species of rail. While most coots have a horny shield