American Coot - Fulica americana

The Coot is quite duck-like in appearance on the water but is really closer to the ‘rails’, ‘moorhens’, and ‘gallinules’ (more hen-like birds of marshy areas) than it is to the ducks.  The coots lobed feet are useful in swimming, even though not webbed at all, and with their sharp claws are quite formidable weapons when needed.  They range pretty well over all of the United States and lower Canada but winter mostly in the mid-eastern U.S.