Majestic American Coot
Although the American Coot appears to be a duck, it belongs to a different family of birds known as Rails, having digitigrade legs with Lobate feet designed for both walking and swimming. Further ways to identify this mud hen - look for black and dark grey feathers, red eyes, and a white beak with a black ring near the tip. American Coot birds are definitely exciting to see in the wild, with a presence that feels somewhat majestic in the moment, similar to spotting this Rail floating on a black water pond in Florida.