The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word BALDPATE
B
A
L
D
P
A
T
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "American bird/one resembling a coot" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case american bird/one resembling a coot = baldpate.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BALDPATE mean?
BALDPATE noun- A bald-headed person.
- A bald head.
- A bird, the American wigeon (Anas americana).