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Characteristics:
White bill with dark reddish ring just before tip
White frontal shield with reddish oval near tip
Slate gray head, neck, back, upperwings, breast and belly
Diet:Vegetation, snails and insect larvae
Habitat:Mainly on freshwater lakes, gravel pits, reservoirs, rivers and town park lakes when deep enough. Sometimes seen
offshore, especially in winter if freshwater areas are frozen.
Day in the life: They will spend most of their days swimming around and eating different types of vegetation.
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Adaptations: fibre types, fibre area and enzyme activities of different skeletal muscles
Reproduction:The American coot commonly nests in ponds and marshes. Nests are hidden in cattails or reeds and
made on floating masses of vegetation.The nesting areas or ranges incorporate water, a relaxation spot, nesting cover and
food. Eggs average 9 to 10 per clutch and are pinkish-tan with brown spots. Incubation lasts about 25 days. With few exceptions,
the female is left to incubate alone
Current issues: There have also been birds diagnosed with the disease, based on lesions in the brain, without
any outwardly apparent physical abnormalities
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