Birds of the Lower Ohio River Valley in West Virginia

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RAILS, GALLINULES, COOT

American Coot  Fulica americana

WINTER:  Uncommon to Fairly Common Visitant.  Occasional Resident.  See Remarks section for CBC data and high counts.

SUMMER:  Casual Resident.  Nesting noted on 26 June 1952 at McClintic WMA (Handley 1976).  A pair with three young on 29 June 1953 at McClintic WMA (Hall 1983).  There are recent summer records, but nesting has not been confirmed, since the 1950's.

MIGRATION:

 Spring:  Fairly Common to Common Migrant from early March to late April.  Uncommon Migrant from early to late May.  See Remarks section for high counts.

 Fall:  Common to Very Common Migrant from mid-October to mid-December (Slack 1978).  Uncommon Migrant from early September to early October. During November 1950, "Hundreds of thousands", on the Ohio River, in Cabell and Mason Cos., WV (Edeburn et al. 1960).  See Remarks section for high counts.

REMARKS:

Breeding Bird Survey (Koch 1974): McClintic WMA, Mason Co., WV (29 May 1971): 50 Stops, 12.25 Mile. Number of Stops Recorded: 1. Total Birds: 1.

Winter High Counts:  162 (150 at Green Bottom WMA and 12 at Byrd Locks & Dam) on 02 December 2006 (MG, DP); 90 on 04 February 2007 at Green Bottom WMA (WA, MG, DP); 56 on 06 January 2007 at Green Bottom WMA (WA, MG, DP); 30 on 11 December 1963 on the Ohio River in Mason Co., WV (WA).

Spring High Counts:  170 (150 at Green Bottom WMA and 20 at Byrd Locks & Dam) on 25 March 2007 (MG, DP); 78 on 27 March 2006 at Green Bottom WMA (AT, RT); 52 (40 at Green Bottom WMA and 12 at Byrd Locks & Dam) on 01 April 2007 (MG, DP); 39 on 08 April 1973 at Kyger Creek Power Plant and McClintic WMA (HS); 35 on 30 March 1970 at Kyger Creek Power Plant and McClintic WMA (HS); 30 on 28 March 1971 at Kyger Creek Power Plant and McClintic WMA (HS); 30 on 31 March 2002 at Green Bottom WMA (BD).

Fall High Counts:  500 on 17 November 1996 at Green Bottom WMA (HS); 350 on 19 November 2006 at Green Bottom WMA (MG, DP); 289 on 31 October 1976 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS); 230 on 26 October 1975 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (175, including one albino), McClintic WMA (39) and Byrd Locks & Dam (16) (HS).

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT DATA

Huntington, WV (1940 to 2001):        Recorded on 18% of Counts.  Total Birds:    56.  Range:  1 to  16.
Mason County, WV (1953 to 1976):  Recorded on 44% of Counts.  Total Birds:    41.  Range:  1 to  30.
Ona, WV (1962 to 2001):                  Recorded on 28% of Counts.  Total Birds:  284.  Range:  1 to 193.

Huntington, WV (1940 to 2001):        Number of Counts:  61.  Birds/Party Hr.:  <1.0.  Party Hr./Bird:  53.9.
Mason County, WV (1953 to 1976):  Number of Counts:  18.  Birds/Party Hr.:  <1.0.  Party Hr./Bird:    8.6.
Ona, WV (1962 to 2001):                  Number of Counts:  40.  Birds/Party Hr.:  <1.0.  Party Hr./Bird:    6.4.