mudhen

/ˈmʌdˌhɛn/
noun
  1. A common water bird with dark feathers and a white bill, often found in marshes and ponds; also called a coot.
    • We spotted a mudhen building a nest among the reeds near the lake.
    • A mudhen paddled across the pond, bobbing its head as it swam.
    • The children fed breadcrumbs to the mudhens at the park's duck pond.
Synonyms
What does "mudhen" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean