American Coot

These fellows are clearly the comedians of the duck world.  They spend a lot of time waddling around in a group right outside my door.  They're always good for a laugh especially when they all decide to head for the water at the same time.  Whether they're eating or snoozing or swimming they always seem to stay tightly grouped.  My bird book says that they "often form large rafts".  They're not very big.  Maybe that's why they stay in a fairly tight group.  I'm going to have to start reading up on waterfowl since I now live on a waterway where there's a lot of activity -- an occasional kayaker, but mostly feathered critters.