[Length 15.5 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

American Coots are one of many "water birds" which must "run" along the water to gain enough speed to fly. Check out those big toes! This American Coot was photographed at the Andrews Bird Viewing Trail, Andrews, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 70-200mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=405mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: October 31, 2008)

[Length 15.5 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This American Coot "running" on the water was photographed at the Andrews Bird Viewing Trail, Andrews, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: November 26, 2008)

[Length 15.5 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This American Coot was photographed at Lake Balmorhea, Balmorhea, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: December 21, 2008)

[Length 15.5 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This American Coot taking flight was photographed at the Andrews Bird Viewing Trail, Andrews, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: April 7, 2009)

[Length 15.5 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This parent and immature American Coot was photographed at Bear River NWR, Ogden, Utah, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens + Nikkor TC17E II 1.7x Teleconverter on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: June 21, 2016)

[Length 15.75 in. Wingspan 31.5 in.]

This Eurasian Coot was photographed at Kensington Park, London, England, Great Britain. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 180 f2.8 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: April 2002)

[Length 34 in. Wingspan 48 in.]

This Brandt's Cormorant was photographed along the coast near Santa Maria, California, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: September 1997)

[Length 34 in. Wingspan 48 in.]

This Brandt's Cormorant in flight was photographed along the coast near Santa Maria, California, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: September 1997)

[Length 34 in. Wingspan 48 in.]

This Brandt's Cormorant was photographed on the Coast Guard jetty at Monterey, California, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: November 1981)