Coot

American Coot
Fulica americana

Photo ŠPatricia McQuade

Coots are often called Mud Hens. They have red eyes and very strange, greenish feet. They like to eat tender shoots of grass or weeds. They also eat snails, tadpoles, grain and algae.

When coots fly, they have to patter over the water to get going. Many people think these birds are ducks, but they are not. Coots are very aggressive. They fight by leaning back in the water and kicking each other.

More pictures of this bird

Habitat:
Marshes, lakes
Feeding:
Feeds in water on leaves, roots, seeds and small aquatic animals. Also feeds on land.

Nesting:
Builds a platform nest on floating vegetation attached to surrounding stems. Nests are made of stems lined with finer fibers.
Eggs: 8-12, pink-buff with darker marks.
Incubation: 21-25 days.
Fledge: 49-56 days.

Earth Cards
Nature Trading Cards

What are Earth Cards?

Trading cards? Flash cards? Game cards? Animal cards? Earth cards are all of these.

Collect them like baseball cards.
Play games with them like a game deck.
Use them as flash cards and species cards for learning.
Trade them with your friends.

Order your set of
Nature Trading Cards

Box of 35 cards          $5.00
Box of 65 cards        $10.00
Box of 100 cards       $15.00

directly from this website with your check or PayPal.

You can customize your box of cards. Just go to and pick the species you want included.

A box of Nature Trading Cards would be a nice gift for your child's classroom. You can also order them in quantities, at special prices, to use as fundraisers for your school.