It’s easy to overlook American coots since they seem to inhabit every bit of water around the countryside. Their plentiful numbers indicate they have no trouble raising their young.
It took a few springs but I eventually noticed something unusual about coot kiddies. They all look adopted. Those little coots are the most amusing and odd creatures with that spattering of a most unexpected orange. And they have a face only a mother (and perhaps yours truly) could love.
I don’t know if mama coots are colour blind or don’t care about the wild colour scheme but you’d think it would raise a few eyebrows. Whose kids are these anyway? But coots do what their neighbours do – pretend the whole thing is normal and look after the little weird ones.
Against all odds, the kids eventually look like real black coots. And then the next year it all happens again.
I’m thinking there must be a moral buried somewhere in that story but I can’t seem to put my finger on it!
Krahnpix 
Seems to be the case with lots of birds – perhaps they just like variation and raise each others’ kids?
Beautiful shots, and nice to see that they sprinkle some green on their feathers just to add to the confusion.
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Those coot kids and their cousins are a strange-looking bunch. I’ve always been amused by them and enjoyed them. They’d confuse anybody but their moms.
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Great shots and they’re definitely adorably cute.
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Glad you like them. They are not my usual photographic fare so I wasn’t sure what to make of them.
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I guess they’re very photogenic then 😉
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Superb shots, they are to die for!! 🙂
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Thanks. It was the only time I was able to get close enough to the chicks to get a decent shot of the them. They are quite the characters.
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Look how high that chick is floating in the top photo! Wow!
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You wouldn’t believe the tricks these guys perform!
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Great shots ~ Never realized how ‘unique’ coot kids looked 🙂
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There are a strange bunch but I guess that’s what attracted me in the first place. Not everyone’s cup of tea.
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Awesome captures with the green background. Little weird ones for sure – but I think they look kinda cool:) Cool kids on the block!
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It’s sometimes difficult to tell the difference between weird and cool! I have grown to love these guys.
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Cute cootlets and nice shots, Lyle. I’m surprised they don’t have more duckweed on them.
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Thanks. Now that you mention it, that is surprising.
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Yes coot kids are cool, especially when you present them. Did you know that in New Zealand coots are called pukeko (pronounced something like “poo kicker”)? Her is Aus we just call them coots or swamp hens.
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I did not know that. Here I thot they were common in our sloughs and they turn up all over in other parts of the world.
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Are you getting more mellow as you age, Lyle? You are increasing featuring cute creatures in your postings, like these cute cootlets and your recent otters. Are cats next?
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Well that’s an interesting proposition. Perhaps you and others might be in a better position to judge than I. But house cats would definitely be a giant step over the edge!
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I remember some time ago you had developed a sort of rating system for the subjects that you found interesting and I don’t recall that “cute” was on the list, though I might be mistaken–I’m getting a bit older myself.
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When I read your comment, I also thot I had left off cute on my bird likability index. When I checked it was there. Go figure. Nevertheless I think the index may need some updating. https://krahnpix.com/2013/04/11/some-birds-dont-have-it/
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I probably should have checked the index before I made the comment, but I went by memory.
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They are so ugly they’re coot. The one flapping its wings had me laughing, as does any bird that age. Great captures. I called the subject in one of my photos “Spike”.
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Spike is a good name. That little flapper is a long ways from flying unless its in its imagination.
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I’ve photographed Eurasian Coot chicks in the Botanic Gardens here in Melbourne and they look just as ugly.
Great photos of the chicks.
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Interesting to hear that they look the same across the ocean. Of all the birds to be the same!
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Such tiny wings and thick, sturdy legs – and talk about a bad hair day! These pictures make me smile. Very nice!
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These little guys always make me smile too. They sure have unusual features and I didn’t do their feet justice – they are huge!
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I have never seen a coot chick! They are adorable in an unusual sort of way. They look like those Star Trek Tribbles with little dinosaur heads and stubby wings, Coots always make my day. Than you for those photos. 🙂
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I was thinking of you when I put this post together. I’m happy that I introduced you to these unusual little characters. I can safely say I’ve never seen anything quite like them. It looks like they were put together with random pieces.
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Coots certainly do seem to be conquering the duck world. My partner tells me it’s because they taste awful and nobody hunts them. That first shot looks like mom is wondering where that strange critter came from (just to back up your story -or was that what inspired it?) But I have to agree that they ARE cute, at least until they grow up and join the floating mobs.
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Float mobs and bad tastes – your comments make me laugh! Awesome. To answer your question, many times the photos inspire the storyline but this time I had the idea first and then found the photo to go with it.
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Your posts make me laugh so I guess we’re even. 😀
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Adorable …and yes, very cool!
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I’m glad to hear someone agrees.
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They are a bit odd. I wonder if they make noise.
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That’s a great question. I don’t recall ever hearing the young ones.
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He he, – In the first picture it looks kind of like 60-70 years old?
But ‘cool’? Yesss!
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It does look that old! I guess there’s nothing quite like that cool 60s look.
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Very nice captures and story line. I’d say the moral is that of the ugly duckling but let’s face it; a coot is no swan.
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Thx. I’d say that’s a great moral and completely agree on the swan part.
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