American Coot

Maxine and I went to Area III of El Dorado Park yesterday, and near the footbridge was a little family of American Coots.  At first we just saw the mother, father, and one baby.  But there were two other babies hiding in the reeds.

Coots aren't the most attractive birds to begin with, but the babies are just ridiculous.  The parents were devoted to them.  Maxine was tossing them bits of her bread and goldfish crackers and the parents would dutifully deliver bites to the babies.  No regurgitating it, just softening it in the water and sharing.  And boy were they aggressively protective.  There was a lone female Mallard sharing the little secluded spot, but when she got too close to the babies one of the parents tore out after it, biting at the Mallard's tail feathers until she was gone.

American Coots, May 15, 2010, Nikon.