{"id":111089,"date":"2023-03-12T04:58:33","date_gmt":"2023-03-12T10:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=111089"},"modified":"2023-04-28T15:49:07","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T21:49:07","slug":"one-tranquil-american-coot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/03\/12\/one-tranquil-american-coot\/","title":{"rendered":"One Tranquil American Coot"},"content":{"rendered":"

Calm and tranquil, this American Coot photographed 3 days ago stood out from its typically aggressive and territorial behavior during the breeding season.<\/p>\n

\"TranquilTranquil American Coot on a March morning \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/640, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

It was early in the morning when I photographed this coot at one of my local parks. There was a mist rising from the pond because the water was warmer than the chilly morning air. Even though there were other coots nearby this one kept to itself, preening, resting, and looking around.<\/p>\n

With spring just around the corner, many of the American Coots<\/span><\/a> I have observed lately are feeling the urge to breed. That urge causes quite a lot of aggressive behavior especially with other coots. American Coots become very vocal<\/span><\/a> and territorial this time of the year and that can cause numerous chases and fights. Photographing those chases and fights is a lot of fun. That can be very challenging as a photographer. It is also high energy drama.<\/p>\n

I saw that behavior happening with other coots on this same pond that morning.<\/p>\n

This coot?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I think it just wanted to relax and be tranquil before the sun had fully risen. I get that. Becoming involved in high drama, or really any drama, isn’t the way I like to start my day either.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to view more of my American Coot photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Calm and tranquil, this American Coot photographed 3 days ago stood out from its typically aggressive and territorial behavior during the breeding season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":111085,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[137,27,709,26],"tags":[4004,4010,4897,2772,2773,4121,10698,1984,2504,811,6046,8018,3996,373],"class_list":["post-111089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-coots","category-avian","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-american-coot","tag-branch","tag-coot","tag-coots","tag-fulica-americana","tag-park","tag-pond","tag-reflection","tag-tranquil","tag-twig","tag-urban","tag-water","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/american-coot-tranquil-pond-mia-mcpherson-5637.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-sTL","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":120837,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/02\/11\/urban-american-coot-close-up-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":111089,"position":0},"title":"Urban American Coot Close Up Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 11, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Because it was a bright, sunny day yesterday morning, I went down to my local ponds. I photographed an American Coot munching on frosty grass near one of them.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Urban American Coot in winter, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-coot-winter-pondside-mia-mcpherson-7535.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-coot-winter-pondside-mia-mcpherson-7535.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-coot-winter-pondside-mia-mcpherson-7535.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-coot-winter-pondside-mia-mcpherson-7535.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50454,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/01\/02\/coots-coots-and-more-coots\/","url_meta":{"origin":111089,"position":1},"title":"Coots, Coots and More Coots","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The last birds I photographed in 2017 were American Coots and some of the first birds I took photos of in 2018 were also coots.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two American Coots involved in a chase, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-chase-mia-mcpherson-4807.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-chase-mia-mcpherson-4807.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-chase-mia-mcpherson-4807.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/american-coot-chase-mia-mcpherson-4807.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":118347,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/11\/18\/one-cute-coot-scoot\/","url_meta":{"origin":111089,"position":2},"title":"One Cute Coot Scoot","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A few days ago, I was able to photograph one cute coot scooting past me at my local pond on a bright sunny Utah morning. The action tickled my funny bone.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scooting Coot being chased, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-scooting-fall-mia-mcpherson-7516.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-scooting-fall-mia-mcpherson-7516.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-scooting-fall-mia-mcpherson-7516.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/american-coot-scooting-fall-mia-mcpherson-7516.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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morning I photographed birds at my local pond in freezing temps and this American Coot in a morning mist was one of my favorite images that I took.","rel":"","context":"In "American Coots"","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Coot in a morning mist, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/american-coot-in-a-mist-mia-mcpherson-1238.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/american-coot-in-a-mist-mia-mcpherson-1238.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/american-coot-in-a-mist-mia-mcpherson-1238.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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