Harris Birds of the Kansas City Region. 247 



Subfamily Fulicinae. Coots. 



FULICA AMERICANA Gmelin. Coot. 



Abundant migrant and not uncommon summer resident. 



The bulk of the flight comes rather late, just ahead of the 

 Blue-winged Teal and Shovellers, though a noticeable number 

 are here often as early as the last week in February (twenty 

 on Feb. 25, 1917). They begin leaving in September and very 

 few are seen after early November. 



Coots breed in the county wherever they can find suitable 

 nesting sites. A pair nested on the Blue within the city limits 

 during the summer of 1913, but succeeded in raising only one 

 young. Immediately on the opening day of the shooting season 

 all three birds were promptly slaughtered by the first hunter 

 that passed on his way to the Missouri Eiver. 



Tremendous flocks of Mudhens migrate up the Missouri Val- 

 ley and one flock seen on April 13, 1917, was estimated to con- 

 tain ten thousand birds. 



During the flight they are commonly seen on all the park 

 lakes and city ponds. 



Order LIMICOLAE. Shore Birds. 

 Family PHALAROPODIDAE. Phalaropes. 



PHALAROPUS PULICARIUS (Linn.). Red Phalarope. 

 Very rare migrant. 



The Red Phalarope is said by several of the river-fishermen 

 to occur now and then during migration, but authentic records 

 are scarce. A specimen was taken on the Kaw River near Law- 

 rence on November 5, 1905; another specimen, the head and 

 feet of which were examined, was taken by Wm. Andrews on 

 the Missouri River in Jackson County on October 20, 1917. A 

 few unauthenticated records are known. 



LOBIPES LOBATUS (Linn.). Northern Phalarope. 

 Casual, probably accidental. 



The only known record of the occurrence of the Northern 

 Phalarope in this region is the specimen referred to by Wid- 

 mann (p. 63), which was taken in Platte County, opposite Leav- 

 enworth. This species can be of only casual occurrence in this 

 part of the country. 



