Quick Facts

Scientific name:  Fulica atra

Size:  Grows to around 36cm in length

Distribution:  Found throughout the UK

Months seen:  All year round

Habitat:  Ponds, lakes, rivers, canals and reservoirs

Food:  Aquatic plants and insects

Special features:  The Coots plumage is black, and they have a featherless white patch, or shield, just above their white beak.  The legs are yellow/green in colour, and their feet, which are lobed, are light grey.  The feet seem to be larger than necessary, but during the breeding season (March to April), coots often fight for territory using their long claws.

The nest of the Coot is built on water from reeds and grasses.  The female lays between 6 and 9 eggs, and both parents take turns at incubating the eggs, which take around 23 days to hatch.

Coot chicks, which are born between April and June, are all black with a hairy red patch on their head and blue stripes around the eyes.

Related Pages

• UK Safari Wildfowl Section
• UK Safari Birds Section
• Identify other wildlife
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