I found these birds on a spring morning in the reeds and cattails at Kachina Wetlands Preserve. Learn more about wetlands here: WETLANDS
American Coots are 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.
Lincoln’s Sparrows have a distinct face with various colors; gray eyebrow, reddish brown crown and cheeks, and cream-colored whisker. They can be found throughout much of North America in water areas or grasslands, also on bird feeders. They eat bugs such as beetles, caterpillars, or flies along with small seeds on feeders or the ground.
Red-Winged Blackbirds live in fresh water areas or open spaces like fields and prairies. The males are glossy black with scarlet and yellow shoulder patches. The female are streaky brown with a paler breast and white eyebrows. They eat insects, grains, and seeds. Their nests are found on plants with upright stems close to the ground or near the water surface in a marsh. They roost in flocks and the males have many female mates. Red-winged blackbirds are known to be very athletic flyers.
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