One of my favorite spots in Ludwigshafen is a large park called Ebert Park. Ebert Park has many different kinds of animals. My favorite spot to watch the wildlife is by the lake. I often see ducks, small birds, swans and this black and white duck-like bird. When I first moved here, I had never seen a bird like this before. I did some research and discovered that this bird is called a common coot in English. In German, it is called das Blässhuhn. Let's learn some more about this bird.
The common coot is a medium-sized water bird, similar to a duck. It has black feathers and a sharp white beak. It has a white patch on its forehead, too. A coot's eyes are reddish brown. They make a high-pitched honk.
Its feet make it different from a duck. It has three long, white toes. On land, it walks kind of like a chicken. I don't often see them flying. Coots are not very good at flying.
I enjoy watching the coots at the park. They are often swimming around the lake with the other ducks or sitting on the land.
