The American Coot (Fulica americana columbiana) is nicknamed "marsh hen" or "mud hen" because of they way its head bobs when it walks or swims. 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. Though commonly mistaken to be ducks, American coots belong to a distinct order. Coots are kleptoparasitic, which means that when they don’t feel like hunting for their own food, they’ll steal their meal from other birds.
