Andean Coot variation at Pantanos de Villa
On November 26, 2007, I took a series of photos of the coots at Pantanos de Villa. The variation is extreme and I suspect there may be genes in the population from other species. The question is which species?
The background is the strange coot I found at Pantanos de Villa on OCt 15, 2005 which has many traits of Red-gartered Coot Fulica armillata.
White or Yellow forehead with white
With Chestnut forehead and yellow and white bill
Or Chestnut forehead with almost completely yellow bill
STRANGE COOTS IN VILLA
But these ones are far from normal. Foreheads are less bulbous and orange or red in color.
Orange forehead and Yellow bill
Red forehead with orange margins and completely yellow bill