Coot

The coots are medium-sized water birds which are members of the rail family. They constitute the genus Fulica.

These rails are all predominantly black in plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, swimming in open water rather than skulking in reedbeds.

They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers, although nevertheless capable of covering long distances; the American Coot has reached Great Britain and Ireland on rare occasions. Those that migrate do so at night.

Coots can walk and run vigorously on strong legs, and have long toes that are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces.

These birds are omnivorous, taking plant material, small animals and eggs. They are aggressively territorial during the breeding season, but are otherwise often found in sizeable flocks on the shallow vegetated lakes they prefer.

Species

• Red-knobbed Coot, Fulica cristata
• Eurasian Coot, or Common Coot, Fulica atra
• Hawaiian Coot, Fulica alai
• American Coot, Fulica americana
• Caribbean Coot, Fulica caribaea
• White-winged Coot, Fulica leucoptera
• Andean Coot, Fulica ardesiaca
• Red-gartered Coot, Fulica armillata
• Red-fronted Coot, Fulica rufifrons
• Giant Coot, Fulica gigantea
• Horned Coot, Fulica cornuta

Reference

• Rails by Taylor and van Perlo, ISBN 90–74345–20–4