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Coot Fulica atra [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Gruiformes
Family:
Rallidae
BTO Codes:
CO , COOT.
EURING No:
4290
Number in Britain:
25 thousand pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
GREEN
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
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Status in UK:
(A) Resident Breeder, Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
atra recorded in Britain (of 3 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
37 cm
Wingspan:
75 cm
Weight:
M/F: 800 g
Scientific name from:
L.: fulica =the coot
and L.: ater =black (esp. matte black)
World Distribution:
Eurasia, Australia
Habitat:
Lakes, marsh, rivers, seacoast
Diet:
Omnivorous, but mostly aquatic plants
TitBit:
Coots are aggressive birds, both to other species and their own kind; they have even been known to kill their own young, usually the youngest of the brood if they have too many to feed succesully
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
22 to 28 thousand pairs
in 2000
Winter:
173 thousand individuals
in 1994-99
First Record:
10th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Ipswichian (last) interglacial, c. 125,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Lakes
Also common in:
Ponds
And found in:
Along Rivers
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
850 thousand to 1.5 million pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(II,III), WBD(II*,III*), Bonn(II*), AEWA
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
53 x 36 mm
Egg Weight:
36.5 g (of which 9 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
643
Clutch Size:
5 - 7 eggs
Incubation:
21 - 24 days
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
55 - 60 days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1(2)
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
415
Adult Survival:
0.697
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
2
years
Typical Lifespan:
5
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
15yr3m
(Denmark: 20yr 7m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
G
Wing Length
Sexually dimorphic (male much larger than female)
Male:
223.8 ± 7.0
211 - 235 mm, N =385
Female:
206.2 ± 5.8
196 - 214 mm, N =242
Weight
Sexually dimorphic (male much larger than female)
Male:
971.3 ± 164.1
700.0 - 1250 g , N =178
Female:
753.5 ± 135.1 .
570.0 - 990.0 g , N =77
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Common Coot
Gaelic:
Lach-bhlàir
Welsh:
Cwtiar
Danish:
Blishøne
Dutch:
Meerkoet
Finnish:
Nokikana
French:
Foulque macroule
German:
Bläßhuhn
Hungarian:
Szárcsa
Icelandic:
Bleshæna
Irish:
Cearc Cheannann
Italian:
Folaga
Norwegian:
Sothøne
Polish:
Lyska zwyczajna
Portuguese:
Galeirão-comum
Spanish:
Focha común
Swedish:
Sothöna
Local Names: Snysin
Collective Noun: Covert
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Taylor, B. & van Perlo, B. 1998 Rails Pica Press, Sussex
[598.554 TAY]
See Also:
BirdFacts home | BTO Home birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as:
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