An American Coot is is a duck-like bird with a white bill, red eyes, and big lobed feet. They are not ducks though, they belong to their own distinct order of birds. They are unique because they can dabble on the surface of water looking for food, or dive below water looking for plants. They eat tadpoles, small fish, and vegetation in pond areas. They can be found around lakes, marshes, fields, or salt bay areas in much of North America, mostly in the western part throughout the whole year. These American Coots were in northern Arizona. Read DUCK PONDS IN THE LATE FALL