Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)

Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae

IUCN Red List: LC (Least Concern)

Habitat

It has a vast range, stretching from Europe to Australia, and is a common sight in Hungary.

Information

Diet: omnivorous. The majority of its diet consists of the shoots of aquatic plants, but it also consumes seeds and sprouts, supplementing these with invertebrates and tadpoles.

The Eurasian coot is a stocky bird with black plumage, characterized by a distinctive white frontal shield and bill. An increasing number of individuals now overwinter on ice-free bodies of water. In Hungary, it is a frequent breeder.

It prefers waters rich in pondweed and dense vegetation, interspersed with reeds and bulrushes. Its nest is large, typically built at the edge of reed beds. The chicks are born black with reddish heads; they later develop grayish plumage before finally gaining the adult black feathers and white frontal shield after their autumn molt.

Outside of the breeding season, the coot is a social bird, living in large groups. Its footprints are very distinctive: the toes are long and equipped with broad swimming lobes (lobate feet) on both sides. Coots are surprisingly territorial and are often seen chasing one another across the water.