January inventory figures for 1955-58 
showed the wintering populations distributed 
over the major habitat types as follows: 
brackish estuarine bays - 66%; slightly brack- 
ish estuarine bays - 17%; fresh estuarine bays - 
12%; salt estuarine bays - 3%; fresh and 
brackish estuarine bay marshes - 2%; and 
coastal impoundment - bay complex - +%. 
Ecological distribution during the 1958-59 
season is shown in table 148. Slightly brackish 
and brackish estuarine bays were the most 
important habitats. Fresh estuarine bays also 
were used extensively during the early fall 
flight. General observations indicated that 
considerable numbers of American Coots often 
stop on fresh estuarine bays during the late 
spring flight in April. 
Biogeographic Sections 
The average distribution of wintering popu- 
lations during 1955-58 is shown in table 149, 
About one-half of the total Upper Chesapeake 
wintering population is along the central east- 
ern shore, in the Chester River, Eastern Bay, 
and Choptank River sections. Other important 
concentration areas include the Central Poto- 
mac, Susquehanna Flats, and Central Western 
Shore sections. 
Seasonal changes in numbers during 1958-59 
are shown in table 150. The population peak 
apparently was reached during the latter part 
of the fall migration. The great reduction of 
the population in January probably was due, 
at least in part, to the unusually severe 
winter conditions of 1958-59. The Central 
Potomac and Chester River sections were 
major concentration areas during all four 
surveys. Large numbers of birds also were 
in the Susquehanna Flats and Upper Western 
Shore sections during the early fall flight. 
During the winter and spring, the Central 
Western Shore section was one of the prin- 
cipal areas of concentration. Moderate num- 
bers of American Coots were in the Choptank 
River section during December and January, 
but populations in other sections were rather 
sparse and thinly distributed, 
Food Habits 
The gullet and gizzard food contents of four 
American Coots were examined. One bird 
61 
collected on the slightly brackish estuarine 
bays of the Central Potomac section during 
October had fed chiefly on leaves, stems, and 
rootstalks of claspingleaf pondweed, widgeon- 
grass, and wildcelery. Field observations in 
October indicated that American Coots on the 
slightly brackish estuarine bay of the Wicomico 
River in Charles County also were feeding 
extensively on the leaves of the introduced 
Eurasian watermilfoil. An American Coot 
collected in brackish estuarine bay marshes of 
the Blackwater-Nanticoke section in October 
had fed on the leaves, stems, and rootstalks 
of saltgrass, and on water scavenger beetles 
(Hydrophilidae). Two American Coots collected 
in estuarine river marshes of the Nanticoke 
and Patuxent Rivers during March and April 
had fed chiefly on: leaves, stems, and root- 
stalks of grass (Gramineae); seeds of arrow- 
arum, Swamp rose, and greenbrier; and various 
insects, including water scavenger beetles 
(Hydrophilidae), earwigs (Dermaptera), mole 
crickets (Gryllotalpa sp.), assassinbugs (Rudu- 
viidae), and moth larvae (Lepidoptera), 
Local Distribution of Hunting Kill 
Six American Coots banded outside Mary- 
land and Virginia were recovered in the Upper 
Chesapeake region. These recoveries were 
taken in the following sections: Chester River, 
Susquehanna Flats, Upper Western Shore, 
Central Western Shore, Lower Potomac, and 
Upper Potomac. 
Harvest Areas of American Coots Banded 
in the Upper Chesapeake Region 
Data concerning harvest areas of American 
Coots banded in the Chester River, Eastern 
Bay, Blackwater River, and Hooper Island 
areas during the years 1955-57 came from 
19 indirect recoveries {table 151), All re- 
coveries were of birds banded between Feb- 
ruary 17 and April 3. About two-fifths of the 
kill was in the Mid-Atlantic States, with the 
greatest proportion in North Carolina. About 
one-sixth of the kill was in Maryland, The 
greatest kill was in the North Central States, 
particularly in Wisconsin. 
