Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

American Coot (Fulica americana)

American Coot [dorsal view of standing adult]: Photograph Credit: Stephen J. Stedman; Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee; 19 December 2011.

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Abundance: Uncommon during fall, winter, and spring; Rare during summer; recorded in 24 Regional counties (Map of UCR Distribution); data from the Regional bird-monitoring efforts are too few to determine a trend in the population wintering in the Region (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Winter Resident; Visitor during summer (5 records; see below); photograph [lateral view of individual swimming] (Stephen J. Stedman; Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee; 19 December 2011).

Regional High Count: 2600 (4 November 1982; Pulaski County, Kentucky; Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.); CBC/CBB High Count: 957 (23 December 2009; Cumberland County, Tennessee [Crossville CBC]; m. ob.); SBC/SBB High Count: 7 (30 April 2011; Overton County, Tennessee [SBB]; m. ob.); FBC/FBB High Count: 1 (28 September 2011; Wayne County, Kentucky [FBB]; Roseanna M. Derton).

Out-of-Season (Summer) Records:

9 July 2006 (1) Turner Creek near Marrowbone, Cumberland County, Kentucky (Stephen J. Stedman, Winston A. Walden).

21 June 2007 (1) Kelly Lane, Bledsoe County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman).

12 July 2008 (1) Randloph Pond, White County, Tennessee (Douglas A. Downs).

13 July 2008 (1) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman).

24 June 2009 (1) Shady Lane, Putnam County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Early Fall: x (

    Late Spring: x (

Note: Fall arrival generally widespread by 10 October; spring departure usually complete by 10 April. Regional dates of earliest reported fall arrival and latest reported spring departure during winters from 2002–2003 to 2011–2012 follow:

Habitat: x

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: Registered on 0 (of 125) monthly check-lists during 2003 and on 1 (of 206) check-lists during 2004, resulting in a YardWatch frequency classification of Rare during the latter year; this YardWatch frequency classification is considerably inconsistent with the overall Regional abundance classification, probably because little suitable habitat for this species is located in or adjacent to most yards and neighborhoods where YardWatch data were collected.

Foray Results: A late spring migrant was detected during 2007 during a foray in White County; a map displaying the general location of this migrant may be viewed via the following link:

• White County Foray—25–28 May 2007

Remarks: x

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Literature Cited