American Coot
American Coot has increased: up 25% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the American Coot
The American Coot (Fulica americana) is a North American member of the Rails, Gallinules & Coots (Rallidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the wetland birds.
- Size
- 6–19 in long (15–48 cm) — a marsh-dwelling waterbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Marshes, ponds, lakeshores and other freshwater wetlands.
- Diet
- Aquatic invertebrates, small fish, frogs and plant matter.
- Range
- Recorded on 911 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 39 states, most concentrated in the Great Basin.
- Family
- Rallidae · Wetland birds
Notable American Coot Trends
No notable trend signals for American Coot. See the full index history below.
American Coot Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, American Coot is projected to rise about 52% by 2029 — from 0.49 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.74 (95% range 0.12–1.4). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±103.4%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.73 | 0.12 | 1.4 |
| 2026 | 0.74 | 0.12 | 1.4 |
| 2027 | 0.74 | 0.12 | 1.4 |
| 2028 | 0.74 | 0.12 | 1.4 |
| 2029 | 0.74 | 0.12 | 1.4 |
Where the American Coot Is Detected
BBS routes recording American Coot, sized by most recent count.
American Coot Population Trend by State
| Alabama | -72% | 1970 | 14 |
| Arizona | -31% | 1974 | 19 |
| Arkansas | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| California | +23% | 1970 | 123 |
| Colorado | -7% | 1970 | 52 |
| Connecticut | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Florida | -93% | 1968 | 27 |
| Georgia | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Idaho | -62% | 1970 | 30 |
| Illinois | -96% | 1971 | 16 |
| Indiana | -92% | 1981 | 6 |
| Iowa | -77% | 1972 | 11 |
| Kansas | -80% | 1969 | 9 |
| Kentucky | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Louisiana | -99% | 1971 | 11 |
| Michigan | -60% | 1975 | 10 |
| Minnesota | -35% | 1969 | 49 |
| Mississippi | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| Missouri | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Montana | +62% | 1970 | 55 |
| Nebraska | -77% | 1970 | 26 |
| Nevada | +355% | 1970 | 18 |
| New Mexico | -79% | 1974 | 22 |
| New York | insufficient data | n/a | 8 |
| North Carolina | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| North Dakota | -32% | 1969 | 45 |
| Ohio | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| Oklahoma | +134% | 1979 | 9 |
| Oregon | +687% | 1971 | 43 |
| Pennsylvania | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| South Dakota | -71% | 1969 | 46 |
| Tennessee | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| Texas | -41% | 1969 | 72 |
| Utah | -33% | 1973 | 38 |
| Vermont | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Washington | -55% | 1970 | 39 |
| West Virginia | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Wisconsin | -85% | 1969 | 27 |
| Wyoming | +71% | 1972 | 56 |
American Coot Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -75% | 1973 | 25 |
| Great Basin | +55% | 1970 | 121 |
| Northern Rockies | +211% | 1970 | 78 |
| Prairie Potholes | -53% | 1969 | 101 |
| Boreal Hardwood Transition | +34% | 1973 | 14 |
| Sierra Nevada | -63% | 1974 | 8 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | +40% | 1970 | 70 |
| Badlands and Prairies | -65% | 1969 | 78 |
| Shortgrass Prairie | -72% | 1969 | 46 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | -90% | 1969 | 31 |
| Oaks and Prairies | -46% | 1974 | 11 |
| Eastern Tallgrass Prairie | -94% | 1970 | 30 |
| Prairie Hardwood Transition | -92% | 1969 | 51 |
| Central Hardwoods | -41% | 1973 | 9 |
| Southeastern Coastal Plain | -79% | 1969 | 20 |
| Appalachian Mountains | -31% | 1971 | 12 |
| Peninsular Florida | -92% | 1968 | 18 |
| Coastal California | -48% | 1970 | 77 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | -34% | 1975 | 26 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | -81% | 1974 | 5 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | -83% | 1982 | 9 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | -34% | 1970 | 11 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | -87% | 1971 | 32 |
American Coot Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 25% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.