Bird

American Coot

Fulica americana

A winter visitor to West Virginia, found in all 55 counties and 5 habitats.

Here: Winter and on migration
Nesting: Not known to nest here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 5

Adult American Coot, whole bird — **Adult**. (c) Marcel_Pepin, some rights reserved (CC BY). CC BY. iNaturalist photo 363880223. iNaturalist large derivative; no local crop or retouch.

At a glance

Group: Birds
Here: Winter and on migration
Nesting: Not known to nest here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 5
Habitat models: Summer, Winter

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in West Virginia 5

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 5

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

SummerWinterCentral Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier; Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian

Ponds, lakes and their shores

Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.

SummerWinterOpen Water (Fresh)

Swamps

Forested wetlands with standing water much of the year, such as cypress and gum swamps.

SummerWinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems

Disturbed and introduced wetlands

Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.

SummerWinterBeside its main habitat.

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

SummerWinterBeside its main habitat.Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian

Other habitats in its models (48)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in West Virginia.

Open Water (Brackish/Salt) Winter.
Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Summer and winter.
Unconsolidated Shore (Beach/Dune) Summer and winter.
Unconsolidated Shore Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Winter.
Mississippi Sound Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Summer and winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp Winter.
Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain Swamp Systems Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Winter.
South Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh Summer and winter.
Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Marsh Systems Winter.
Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
Central Florida Herbaceous Seep Summer and winter.
Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
South Florida Mangrove Swamp Winter.
South Florida Bayhead Swamp Summer and winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp Summer and winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Herbaceous Seepage Bog Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Summer and winter.
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Interdunal Wetland Summer and winter.
South Florida Wet Marl Prairie Summer and winter.
Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Summer and winter.
Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Summer and winter.
South Florida Freshwater Slough and Gator Hole Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Winter, beside its main habitat.
Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Summer and winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Summer and winter, only within 250 m of water.