Coot on the River Avon

Image: © Jonathan Kington Taken: 23 May 2011

This Coot was standing on a branch in the river grooming itself. The Eurasian, or Common, Coot (Fulica atra) is a member of the rail and crake family, the Rallidae. Apart from a distinctive white, featherless, face ‘shield’ Coots are normally all black in colour; the shield gives rise to the saying “as bald as a Coot”. During the breeding season they are very territorial, but at other times they can be found in large colonies. Having short wings it is reluctant to fly and when taking off runs across the water surface with much splashing, they are surprisingly fast runners on land too- having long toes that are only partially webbed. While it is swimming it bobs its head and will make a little jump before making a short dive for food, the Coot will eat small live prey including the eggs of other water birds, as well as algae, vegetation, seeds and fruit. Their nests are constructed of grass and reeds but can also include bits of plastic and paper, they will build either near the water edge or on underwater obstacles that protrude from the water. Coots will lay a clutch of up to 10 eggs, sometimes 2 or 3 times per season. Normally very few of the chicks will survive being frequent prey for Herons, Gulls and Pike.

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