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Eurasian Coot

Eurasian Coot

Fulica atra

Identify the Eurasian Coot by sound or photo and log your sightings with Birdpass.

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The Eurasian Coot is a robust, sooty-black waterbird of the rail family, instantly recognised by its white bill and forehead shield. Far less secretive than most rails, it swims in the open on lakes, ponds and park pools across Europe, Asia, Australia and North Africa. Noisy and aggressive, it is often seen diving for food or grazing at the shore. Birds from colder regions migrate by night when the waters freeze.

Did you know?

  • The saying “as bald as a coot” refers to its white forehead shield.
  • Coot chicks have striking orange-red and yellow-tipped down on the head, in sharp contrast to the dark adults.

Voice

Call
Flight call
Alarm call

About the species

Identification

A greyish-black bird with a clear white bill and forehead shield; in flight a narrow white trailing edge shows on the wing. Young birds are paler with a grey bill. The broad, lobed toes are visible at close range. Unlike Moorhen it has no white flank stripe or red bill.

Family

Rallidae

Size

Large (crow)

Colours

black, grey, white

About the habitat

Lakes, ponds, reservoirs, canals and slow rivers with open water and emergent vegetation such as reeds; also park lakes and other urban waters. In winter it concentrates on ice-free waters and sheltered bays.

Diet

Omnivorous: mainly aquatic plants and algae, along with seeds, grass and many kinds of invertebrates, occasionally small fish, eggs of other waterbirds or carrion. It grazes on land, upends like a dabbling duck or dives to feed.

Behaviour

Swims in the open, bobbing its head, and makes short, splashy dives. Strongly territorial when breeding; both parents defend the territory, chasing rivals across the water and fighting with their long lobed toes. Outside the breeding season it gathers in large flocks. It takes off with a pattering run across the water and gives loud, sharp calls.

Sources

Photo: Dion Art, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Лысуха (Fulica atra), Калининград.jpg

Sound: Sonothèque ADVL, XC705978, CC0 1.0 https://xeno-canto.org/705978

Sound: Luis Alvarez Menendez, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fulica_atra_-_Eurasian_Coot_XC546000.mp3

Sound: Beeld en Geluid, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alarmroep_van_een_meerkoet_bij_een_nest_met_jongen_-_SoundCloud_-_Beeld_en_Geluid.ogg

Text: Wikipedia (English) + FinBIF species descriptions, CC BY-SA 4.0; FinBIF: CC BY 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_coot

See also