Scientific Name: Fulica americana

Residency: Found in the summers in central and northern regions of Arizona. Year-round they reside in the east and in the southeastern corner.

Diet: Eats seeds, leaves, roots and small aquatic animals.

Predators: Great-horned Owl, Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, and Coyote. American Crow and Black-billed Magpie are egg predators.

Nesting: Platform nest of stems lined with finer materials, placed on a floating mass of vegetation attached to surrounding stems. Eggs: 8-12 per clutch, pink-buff with dark marks, 1-2 broods per year.

Nesting Records:

Notes: Defend breeding and feeding territories by charging at other birds and running across water.

Photo: Photo at right was taken at the Riparian Preserve at the Gilbert Water Ranch on November 19, 2006. For more photos, please click on the camera icon.

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