Families: Rallidae, Aramidae, Gruidae
These families include 14 species found in North America. All of them inhabit marsh wetlands where they consume vegetation and small animals but the feeding habits vary greatly. Cranes are often seen due in part to their size but Limpkins are secretive and solitary, rails and soras are skulkers and secretive where coots and gallinules are often found in the open.
This morning, I'm sharing an American Coot photo I took last year in Utah. What I like about this photo is the coot and the concentric ripples in the water.
This drake Northern Shoveler swam past me on my last trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I couldn't resist taking photos of him. Why would I want to?
One of the birds I photographed on the last day of winter at Bear River MBR was an American Coot. I happen to like seeing their big, funky-looking feet.
While I was at Farmington Bay WMA two days ago, I heard and saw my first Sandhill Crane of the year. The calling crane was in flight, way off in the distance.
Because it was a bright, sunny day yesterday morning, I went down to my local ponds. I photographed an American Coot munching on frosty grass near one of them.
I remember feeling very thrilled when I found this leucistic American Coot on January 2, 2023. I'd been hoping to find a leucistic coot for quite a long time.
A few days ago, I was able to photograph one cute coot scooting past me at my local pond on a bright sunny Utah morning. The action tickled my funny bone.
Today I am sharing some recent American Coot images where the coot is giving me the stink eye and diving. The images were taken at a pond close to home.
What's better than having one coot in my viewfinder? I'd say having three American Coots side by side in my viewfinder at one time!
Yesterday morning, I spent some time taking photos of baby American Coots not far from where I live. It does seem late in the summer for coot chicks.
Yesterday, on the way to the Uinta Mountains, April Olson and I looked for birds in the Kamas Valley. That's where I took these Sandhill Crane photos.
Yesterday morning, I went for a walk around my local pond. One of the birds I photographed was this teen-aged American Coot with swirly reflections around it.
While I was at my local pond three days ago, I took my best-to-date images of fighting American Coots. I had a blast and laughed a lot while I took them.
Over the past four months I wanted closer, better photos of the leucistic American Coot that I found on January 2nd. My patience and persistence paid off.
I've been thinking a lot about Sandhill Cranes recently so I am going back in time to nine years ago today when I photographed them in Wayne County, Utah.
Calm and tranquil, this American Coot photographed 3 days ago stood out from its typically aggressive and territorial behavior during the breeding season.
I heard through the grapevine that Sandhill Cranes have returned to Farmington Bay WMA. Since the cranes are there they might be at other Utah locations too.
I like these two American Coot portraits that I took at my local pond two years ago. The snowy background on one and the gray in the other set off the coots.
This morning I'm sharing photos of a Gadwall drake resting in snow plus a bonus photo of the leucistic American Coot taken yesterday in afternoon light.
After shoveling more snow I wanted to go to my local pond to see what was there. My jaw dropped when I found a foraging leucistic American Coot.
Yesterday, after I cleared the snow off of my Jeep for the first time, I drove down to my neighborhood pond in a December snow storm to enjoy the snow.
I spent about 45 minutes at my local pond yesterday afternoon and one of my favorite images from being there was this American Coot with a funky reflection.
This American Coot caught my eye on my latest trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge three days ago in part because of the still water and the reflection of the bird.
Yesterday morning while I was at Farmington Bay I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to be able to take these Virginia Rail portraits.
While up in the mountains yesterday morning I was thrilled to take a series of female and male Sandhill Crane portraits as they fed in a pasture next to the road.
Yesterday morning I spent ten minutes taking Sandhill Crane images high in the Wasatch Mountain Range after finding a pair of cranes next to an alpine creek.
I took this adult Sandhill Crane photo earlier this week as the crane foraged for food in a grassy horse pasture high up in the Wasatch Mountains.
Late last month I mentioned that I hadn't yet gotten the Tundra Swan photos that I wanted to take. Yesterday at Bear River MBR I was delighted to remedy that situation.
When I was up at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge late last week I photographed an American Coot entering the icy Bear River from the auto tour loop.
Yesterday morning I photographed birds at my local pond in freezing temps and this American Coot in a morning mist was one of my favorite images that I took.