A dramatically leucistic American Coot has been resident at a local pond for nearly the entire winter.
‘He’ was there again yesterday and I’ve spotted him dozens of times over the last several months. Yesterday I realized that such an unusual bird could be a useful tool for researchers investigating the parameters of feeding territory. Or nesting territory during breeding season. Or a variety of behaviors.
When all or many birds of a species look alike, how do you distinguish one from another for research purposes? For example, if you’re investigating the size or boundaries of a bird’s territory, how do you tell one individual from another – especially over many days or weeks? It can be done using tags, markers and/or telemetry but that can be difficult, labor and time intensive and expensive. And trapping and handling birds can be a terrifying experience for them.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
But a bird like this one would make it easy. There’s been hundreds of coots on the pond this winter and nearly all of them look alike but this one stands out like the proverbial sore thumb.
Even my casual observations of this bird this winter have defined his feeding territory (sometimes called foraging locations) remarkably well. Coots are highly territorial and without exception, every time I’ve seen him (dozens of times on different days) he’s been feeding in the same relatively small area out near the middle of the large pond. I’d estimate that that area covers roughly 5% of the pond’s surface.
Every time I’m there I know where to look for him and I’ve usually found him when I’ve looked for him, including yesterday when this photo was taken. I know of one person who has seen him once in another area of the pond but I never have. He’s always been so far away I’ve never been able to get quality photos of him but I can sure tell where he is, even at that distance (this photo has been cropped substantially).
A weird-looking bird to be sure but also a potentially useful one. Over time I’ve grown quite fond of him from afar.
Ron
It’s neat when individual birds can be tracked, due to some particular identifying characteristic. They do become somehow more important or personal – a star, instead of the chorus. I hope this one hangs around. It’d be interesting to see what happens as Spring moves in.
“a star, instead of the chorus”
Well stated, Carolyn. He’s certainly a star around here for those of us who know he’s there. But most folks don’t even notice him out there in the middle of the large pond.
I’m feeling rather sorry for him, the poor boy out there on the pond all on his lonesome. Makes me wonder if females would purposely avoid this “odd duck,” though he is interesting looking. (Ack, I think the weather here is finally getting to me, more rain today and so much gray it’s downright depressing. 🌧️)
Don’t feel too sorry for him, Chris. He has plenty of coot company on that pond.
I’ll trade you some of our wind for some of your rain. Last night I wondered if it was going to blow my house down. It’s still blowing, though not as hard.
Yeah, no thanks—we have way too much wind here normally, and not enough rain, so I’d better just keep quiet about all of it! 😂
A very interesting bird. And interesting timing for me. Just yesterday afternoon I posted a long explanation to an Oregon birding group (OBOL; Oregon Birders Online). It was about albinism vrs leucism, the formation and role of melanin and related topics. So it’s very timely to see this bird today.
It woud be interesting if you notice any difference in its interactions with others, as some have questioned. It’s a good question but from limited experience with other leucistic birds, I’ve not seen them being treated any differently than normally pigmented birds. But certainly worth watching.
I’ve never seen leucistic birds being treated differently either, Dan. But because I haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
After reading the comments, I’m now really curious. Is his behavior different from the rest of coot-dom because of his markings? Has he picked that spot in the pond because the others — including potential predators — will leave him alone there, or do coots really have that small feeding territory? Enquiring minds and all like that there.
In any event, he is incredibly striking and you’re a lucky man to get to see hundreds of coots whenever you want to. 🙂
Marty, coots are extremely common around here, as they are in a lot of places. But apparently not where you live…
I hang out on a couple of birding threads on Reddit. There have been any number of leutistic birds there.
Makes me wonder if they are harbingers of a worse climate change. Or symptoms of the current one.
Arwen, I’ve seen and photographed a few leucistic birds but this is my first coot.
Seeing more leucistic birds has to do with more people looking closely at birds. The genes for lack of melanin in certain feathers are unlikely to relate to climate change.
I think this bird is beautiful! The white pattern reminds me of some types of clouds.
I agree with Michael McNamara’s comment, though. If other birds treat this bird differently, or if this one can tell that it looks different from its flock and behaves differently as a result, then this is not a random sample. On the other hand, this bird could be useful for investigating those very questions.
I think he’s attractive too, Phil. Maybe just because he’s different, I dunno…
I did a bit of armchair research on my own:
Fulica: Latin for coot as used by Pliny and probably derived from fuligo=soot. Works for every coot I’ve seen except here, as you often do, found the exception to the rule.
Of course BotW has an extensive treatment, but I particularly liked this excerpt: “Females may also become involved in these fights, along with other males from nearby territories.…. conflict became so confused and intense that birds ended up attacking and mauling their own mates by mistake!” One doesn’t often see BotW use exclamation points. And there is no mention that old coots are any more cantankerous than young’uns.
Interesting, Lyle. And good point about BotW and exclamation points.
Interesting notion re using this uniquely colored bird to observe behavior.
I wonder, do the other coots treat this one differently, and if so would that change this bird’s behaviors? Would that effect the relevance of the data from this bird?
It’s a good question, Michael. I don’t know. Perhaps just that question would be worthy of investigation.
Ron,
I love it when you use big words: “Leucistic.” It is just an example of the education you add to the enjoyment of your pictures.
Best,
Stephen
Thanks, Stephen. I’ve used it quite a few times before but maybe I should have linked it to an explanation of what it is.
Very interesting Ron. Don’t recall ever seeing one like it. Thanks for posting it.
Thanks, Everett.
Poor guy– he looks like he got “carpet-bombed” by a bunch of other birds !
Pretty strange looking, isn’t he Kris.
A strange looking coot indeed! He definitely WOULD be easy to track for research purposes as well as for your curiosity….. 🙂 Wonder if predators would also find him an easy target?
Good question, Judy. Maybe…