RAILS: Family Rallidae [2-35] 



black down; the upper parts are thickly covered with glossy black, long, coarse 

 down, mixed with long, hairlike filaments, which vary in color from 'orange 

 chrome' on the neck and wings to 'light orange-yellow' on the back; the lores, chin, 

 and throat are covered with short, stiff, curly hairs, varying in color from 'flame 

 scarlet' to 'orange chrome'; the bill is 'flame scarlet,' with a black tip; the under 

 parts are thickly covered with dense, furlike down, very dark gray to almost black, 

 with whitish tips." (Bent) Si%e: "Length 13-16, wing 7.1.5-7.60, bill (to base of 

 shield) 1.2.51.60." (Bailey) Nest: A well-woven floating basket, anchored to 

 growing tules or other aquatic vegetation. Eggs: 6 to 12., usually 8 to 12., buff 

 ground color, thickly and evenly colored with fine dots of black or brown. 

 DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from central British Columbia, central Alberta, 

 Manitoba, southern Quebec, and New Brunswick south into Mexico, Arkansas, 

 and Tennessee. Winters south to West Indies and Costa Rica. In Oregon: Common 

 year-around resident in every part of State where suitable nesting or resting grounds 

 can be found. 



THE AMERICAN COOT, or "Mud-hen," is undoubtedly the most common 

 nesting water bird in the State and is equally common as a winter resident 

 wherever open water occurs (Plate 37, A). It was first seen in Oregon by 

 Lewis and Clark (1814), who found it common at the mouth of the 

 Columbia on November 30, 1805, where it is still common as a wintering 

 bird. It has been recorded in every county except Jefferson, Grant, 

 Wheeler, Sherman, and Morrow in eastern Oregon and Clackamas and 

 Josephine west of the Cascades, and undoubtedly it could be found in all 

 of those with the possible exception of Jefferson. 



There are definite nesting records for Washington, Yamhill, Benton, 

 Lincoln, Multnomah, Coos, and Linn Counties in western Oregon, and 

 for Umatilla, Baker, Malheur, Klamath, Lake, and Harney Counties east 

 of the Cascades, most of them from the great marshes of the four last- 

 mentioned, and the list could undoubtedly be greatly enlarged by inten- 

 sive field work through the breeding season, as a pair or two is almost 

 certain to be found on any permanent body of water large enough to 

 furnish suitable feeding and nesting grounds. Their black bodies with 

 their white bills riding high in the water are familiar sights to every 

 school boy, and their harsh cackling voices are equally well known. The 

 extreme dates of many nesting records are April 30 and June n, but the 

 eggs are usually laid between May 10 and June i, and fleets of the funny 

 little red-headed babies following their parents about are usually very 

 much in evidence by mid-June. 



