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Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) — photo 1 of 4
© Noodle snacks CC BY-SA 3.0

Rails and coots · Cranes and rails

Eurasian Coot

Fulica atra

Year-round

Voice

Call

Sonothèque ADVL

0:15

Call

Noé Ferrari

0:15

Call

Philippe_Grange

0:01

How to recognize it

  • Black, stocky waterbird with a gray-black head

  • White bill and white frontal shield on the forehead

  • Low on the water, often bobbing the head

  • When taking off, runs on the surface with much splashing

About the species

The Eurasian Coot looks compact and sturdy, and it usually reads as almost black, with a bright white forehead shield and a pale bill. On water it seems уверенно and stands apart from many other wetland residents.

It is a noisy, active presence, especially in the breeding season, and when alarmed it rushes across the surface with plenty of splashing. It feeds on shallow water, can dive when needed, and during courtship it may run over the water or spring briefly into the air.

It suits lakes, ponds, floodplains, and calm, reedy places with plenty of cover. Its diet is mainly aquatic plants, though it also takes small animal food, and in milder areas it stays through the year while colder populations move away for winter.

Did you know?

  • Coral-billed, orange-tipped chick

    A newly hatched coot chick looks more dressed up than its parents: black down with bright orange tips on the head, red skin on the crown, a coral-red bill with a white tip.

  • Collective dive against the harrier

    When a harrier strikes, young coots don't scatter but pack into a tight flock and dive all at once, throwing up a wall of spray — one of the rarest cases of collective predator defence among birds.

Where to find

  • On calm ponds and canals — along reed edges, where Eurasian Coots feed by dipping their heads or diving for duckweed.

  • At shallow riverbanks and reservoir margins — easiest to spot when they paddle fast with sharp head-bobs and crackling calls.

  • Near reed islands and floating clumps of vegetation — during breeding season they stay tucked in cover, but territorial chases break them into view.

  • In winter and shoulder seasons on unfrozen water — look for loose groups cruising close to shore, then running across the surface before lifting off.

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Sources