{"id":927,"date":"2013-03-04T16:20:46","date_gmt":"2013-03-04T21:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/?p=927"},"modified":"2025-05-17T20:17:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T00:17:32","slug":"black-duck-white-beak-lasalle-park-burlington-ontario","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/black-duck-white-beak-lasalle-park-burlington-ontario\/","title":{"rendered":"What is This Crazy Black Duck with the White Beak Doing in LaSalle Park, Burlington Ontario?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>On a recent visit to LaSalle Park in Burlington, I saw about 100 mallards sunning beside Lake Ontario at the marina. Mixed among them were some smaller, football-shaped black birds.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootLaSalleParkBurlingtonOntarioonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-930\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootLaSalleParkBurlingtonOntarioonNaturalCrooksDotCom-400x273.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of American Coot LaSalle Park Burlington Ontario on Natural Crooks Dot Com\" width=\"400\" height=\"273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootLaSalleParkBurlingtonOntarioonNaturalCrooksDotCom-400x273.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootLaSalleParkBurlingtonOntarioonNaturalCrooksDotCom-200x136.jpg 200w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootLaSalleParkBurlingtonOntarioonNaturalCrooksDotCom-439x300.jpg 439w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootLaSalleParkBurlingtonOntarioonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>These birds had a white beak and frankly didn\u2019t really look like ducks. A quick glance down at their amazing toes confirmed they weren\u2019t ducks at all. They were coots.<\/p>\n<h2>American Coots Have Amazing Toes<\/h2>\n<p>Many water birds have attention-grabbing feet.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/MallardSafetyConeOrangeFeetonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-2520\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/MallardSafetyConeOrangeFeetonNaturalCrooksDotCom-400x296.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Mallard Safety Cone Orange Feet on NaturalCrooksDotCom\" width=\"400\" height=\"296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/MallardSafetyConeOrangeFeetonNaturalCrooksDotCom-400x296.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/MallardSafetyConeOrangeFeetonNaturalCrooksDotCom-200x148.jpg 200w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/MallardSafetyConeOrangeFeetonNaturalCrooksDotCom-405x300.jpg 405w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/MallardSafetyConeOrangeFeetonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nEven common Mallard ducks attract your eyes with their construction-cone orange triangular webbed feet.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/WoodStorkFeetOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-934\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/WoodStorkFeetOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-200x192.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Wood Stork Feet Orlando Florida March on NaturalCrooksDotCom\" width=\"200\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/WoodStorkFeetOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-200x192.jpg 200w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/WoodStorkFeetOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-400x385.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/WoodStorkFeetOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-311x300.jpg 311w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/WoodStorkFeetOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg 574w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Wood Storks look like the paint has peeled off their toes but is still stuck on their legs.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/EgretFeetOnAlligatorsBackOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-933\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/EgretFeetOnAlligatorsBackOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-194x200.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Egret Feet On Alligators Back Orlando Florida March on NaturalCrooksDotCom\" width=\"194\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/EgretFeetOnAlligatorsBackOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-194x200.jpg 194w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/EgretFeetOnAlligatorsBackOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-389x400.jpg 389w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/EgretFeetOnAlligatorsBackOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-291x300.jpg 291w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/EgretFeetOnAlligatorsBackOrlandoFloridaMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 194px) 100vw, 194px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Snowy Egrets look like they\u2019re wearing yellow work gloves\u2014which probably isn\u2019t enough protection when standing on an alligator, but they do that too.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AnhingaToesOrlandoFloridaMarchOnNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-932\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AnhingaToesOrlandoFloridaMarchOnNaturalCrooksDotCom-200x140.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Anhinga Toes Orlando Florida March On NaturalCrooksDotCom\" width=\"200\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AnhingaToesOrlandoFloridaMarchOnNaturalCrooksDotCom-200x140.jpg 200w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AnhingaToesOrlandoFloridaMarchOnNaturalCrooksDotCom-400x281.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AnhingaToesOrlandoFloridaMarchOnNaturalCrooksDotCom-426x300.jpg 426w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AnhingaToesOrlandoFloridaMarchOnNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Anhinga&#8217;s feet look more like flapping bat\u2019s wings than you\u2019d expect.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootFeetLaSalleMarinaBurlingtonOntarioMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-935\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootFeetLaSalleMarinaBurlingtonOntarioMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-400x211.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of American Coot Feet LaSalle Marina Burlington Ontario March on NaturalCrooksDotCom\" width=\"400\" height=\"211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootFeetLaSalleMarinaBurlingtonOntarioMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-400x211.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootFeetLaSalleMarinaBurlingtonOntarioMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-200x105.jpg 200w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootFeetLaSalleMarinaBurlingtonOntarioMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom-500x264.jpg 500w, https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/AmericanCootFeetLaSalleMarinaBurlingtonOntarioMarchonNaturalCrooksDotCom.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>American Coots have great toes. They\u2019re a blue-green colour and they widen with flaps on either side. They look vaguely like water plants or maybe succulents. According to AllAboutBirds.org, having separated toes makes it easy for them to walk naturally on land. The lobes increase the width of the toes making them strong swimmers. The wide toes also act a bit like snowshoes to help them stay up on mucky soft swamplands.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Why do the Swans Have Huge Yellow Numbered Tags on their Wings in Southern Ontario?\" href=\"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/why-swans-yellow-number-wing-tags-ontario\/\"><strong>Why do the Swans Have Huge Numbered Yellow Tags on their Wings in Southern Ontario?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Join In<\/strong><br \/>\nHave you ever watched a crazy coot? Were you able to see their funky feet? Please share your experiences with a comment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What duck-like bird has blue-green toes with lobes like leaves? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[90,93,25,95,91,92,94],"class_list":["post-927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-focus","tag-american-coot","tag-anhinga","tag-birds","tag-lasalle-park","tag-mallard","tag-snowy-egret","tag-wood-stork"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=927"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/927\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8263,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/927\/revisions\/8263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}