American Coot, Fulica americana. Common in lakes, ponds, and marshes, ranging throughout North America. Some migrate more north for breeding and to Mexico and the South of the U.S. for wintering. Coots will mate for life, forming pairs with intricate courtship rituals. They mainly feed on aquatic vegetation but will also eat various aquatic animals such as fish and invertebrates, especially during breeding season. Coots are interesting because they can be choosy towards their own offspring, favoring those with more bright down plumage, even though it attracts predators and does not aid in thermoregulation. Some Coots will also partake in nest parasitism, laying their eggs in the nests of another Coot.