red morph, showing ruby-red frontal shield (Hawaii, USA; 2007-04-02)


Hawaiian coot
Fulica alai

Native Range: Pacific Ocean Region

Notes: an endangered species endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, with only a few thousand birds remaining in existence; comes in two color phases, one with a white frotal shield and the other with a ruby-red frontal shield; otherwise quite similar in appearance and behavior to North America's American Coot and Eurasia's Common Coot.

red morph; dark charcoal body; white bill (Hawaii, USA; 2007-04-02)
red morph; yellow legs with lobed toes (Hawaii, USA; 2007-04-02)

white morph, showing white frontal shield (Hawaii, USA; 2007-04-02)
charcoal body; white bill; loned toes (Hawaii, USA; 2007-04-02)

white morph swimming (Hawaii, USA; 2007-04-02)
white morph standing (Hawaii, USA; 2007-04-02)

in its typical marshy habitat (Hawaii, USA; 2007-04-02)
pair; no sexual dimorphism (Hawaii, USA; 2007-04-02)