This Bird Has Unique Feet That Look Like Feathers (11 Pics)

Brood parasitism is usually done by females that either do not have a territory (coots are monogomous) or whose clutch has been destroyed, and is most common among females trying to increase their total number of offspring. The American coot, unlike other parasitized species, has the ability to recognize and reject conspecific parasitic chicks from their brood. They learn to recognize their own chicks' ornamental plumage by imprinting on cues from the first chick that hatches.