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Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) Alternate name(s): "Coot" German name(s): "Blässhuhn", "Blässralle" ("Blesshuhn", "Blessralle") Size: 35-38 cm; wing span 70-80 cm Body mass: 585-1100 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.45-0.55

Europe: Family Group 7 Family Group 7 Table Western Swamphen Common Moorhen Eurasian Coot Red-knobbed Coot Baillon's Crake Little Crake Spotted Crake Water Rail Great Bustard Little Bustard Common Crane Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Eurasian Coots are all-black henlike birds, with a white bill and a white frontal shield from the back part of the upper mandible to the top of their heads. Their eyes are red, the strong legs are bluish-grey, with long, partially webbed toes.

Taxonomy, classification See Eurasian Coot at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Eurasian Coot is available HERE . Eurasian Coots can be found basically all over central Europe, the British islands, southern Scandinavia, most of the Mediterranean and throughout temperate Asia plus the Indian subcontinent and, via far-east Asia, into Australia and New Zealand. In western and central Europe and in (sub)tropical Asia they are permanent residents, while in Asia Minor, Israel/Palestine and along the northern African coastal fringe they are mostly winter visitors. Eurasian Coots, nominate race "atra", can be found all over central and western Europe, including the British Isles, all year round. In eastern Europe, from the eastern edge of the Alps, Poland, the Balkans and the northern shore of the Black Sea eastwards, they are breeding migrants. Eurasian Coots have a preference for well-vegetated wetlands around freshwater lakes (including ponds in gardens and urban parks), but they can be found in rivers and creeks too.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "atra" In spring 1998 we found Eurasian Coots, race "atra", nesting on a pond in Wassenaar, Zuid Holland, the Netherlands. We have seen a Eurasian Coot, race "atra", in the Holzmaar, a volcanic crater lake in the Eifel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, in June 2006 and again in August 2014. D. Wilczynska reports spotting Eurasian Coots, race "atra", in the area of Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, and also in Biebrza NP, Poland, regularly. Various contributors report finding Eurasian Coots, race "atra", regularly in various parts of Germany. M. Thomas reports finding Eurasian Coots, race "atra", in Odense, Denmark, in September 2017. J. Pires reports finding Eurasian Coots, race "atra", regularly in the Tejo estuary and in other locations in Portugal. The species was also found overwintering on Terceira Island, Azores, in November 2018. M. Eaton reports finding Eurasian Coots, race "atra", in Hyde Park, London, England, in September 2019. A. Sarok spotted Eurasian Coots, race "atra", in Vojvodina, Serbia, in the timeframe 2010-2024. In the past we used to see Eurasian Coots, race "atra", regularly in various wetlands all over West Germany. Race "australis" Eurasian Coots, race "australis", are seen by us regularly in Australia.

Photos

Race "atra"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Eurasian Coot; note the partially webbed feet (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Hagnau, Lake Constance, Germany, April 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Odense, Denmark, September 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, March 2013]

Near-lateral view of a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hyde Park, London, England, September 2019]

Close-up lateral view of a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Edersee, Hessen, Germany, May 2026]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Coot
[Holzmaar, Eifel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, June 2006]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[City Park, Porto, Portugal, December 2019]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Terceira Island, Azores, November 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2019]

Near-dorsal view from above of a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Friedrichshafen, Lake Constance, Germany, April 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Eurasian Coot at take-off (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Coot in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Coot in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Comparison of a Eurasian Coot, right, with three Northern Shovelers (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hyde Park, London, England, September 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eurasian Coot on a freshwater lake
[Holzmaar, Eifel, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, August 2014]

Pair of Eurasian Coots bringing food for their chick - yes, the fluffy thing that looks like a microphone with absorber...
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Eurasian Coot chick (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Coot chick (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of an adult Eurasian Coot with a chick (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Adult Eurasian Coot with four recently hatched precocial chicks (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Four recently hatched precocial Eurasian Coot chicks (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Mar - Jun

Eggs: 6 - 10

Incubation period: 21 - 24 days

Fledging age: 31 - 39 days

Eurasian Coot chicks are precocial, i.e. they leave the nest at a very young age, long before they can fly.

Eurasian Coot with chicks (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, near Walluf, Hessen, Germany, May 2017]

Nest

Type: Basket

Material: Reeds

Height above ground: N/A

The nest can be floating on water, affixed to a plant, or sit on top of a low, flat object, such as e.g. an old reed stump.

Eurasian Coot on its nest (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, near Walluf, Hessen, Germany, April 2019]

Adult Eurasian Coot brooding a chick, with a juvenile, probably from an earlier clutch, still around
[Wassenaar, Zuid Holland, Netherlands, 1998]

Adult Eurasian Coot brooding a chick, with a juvenile, probably from an earlier clutch, now also on the nest
[Wassenaar, Zuid Holland, Netherlands, 1998]

Eggs

Size: 52 x 35 mm

Colour: Light-brown, with sparse mid-brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Pair/flock

In Europe, the large populations of Eurasian Coots in southern, south-eastern, western and central Europe are sedentary. Birds that breed in eastern Europe and southern Scandinavia (including around the Baltic Sea), where waters freeze over in winter, migrate southward. Outside the breeding season Eurasian Coots are gregarious and can congregate in substantial flocks.

Flock of Eurasian Coots (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2018]

Flock of Eurasian Coots (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira de Albergaria dos Fusos, Oriola, Portel, Evora, Portugal, January 2020]

As opposed to most Moorhens or Swamphens, which are primarily waders, the Eurasian Coot will also dive for food in shallow water.

Frontal view of a Eurasian Coot taking a bath (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Coot taking a bath (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Food, Diet

To the best of our knowledge Eurasian Coots feed on aquatic plants, but also on small animals.

Eurasian Coot with a piece of aquatic plant material (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Eurasian Coot with a piece of aquatic plant material (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Lake Constance, Germany, September 2022]

Eurasian Coots diving to feed on aquatic plants (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira de Morgavel, Sines, Setubal, Portugal, October 2020]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

eurcoot_dw_20190415.m4a	atra (Poland)	Contact calls?	© DW
eurcoot_jp_20190413.m4a	atra (Portugal)	Contact calls?	© JP
eurcoot_jp_20230126.m4a	atra (Portugal)	Contact calls?	© JP
eurcoot_jp_20230405.m4a	atra (Portugal)	Contact calls?	© JP
eurcoot_jp_20230405_2.m4a	atra (Portugal)	Contact calls?	© JP
eurcoot_jp_20200117.m4a	atra (Portugal)	?	© JP
eurcoot_20200316_5.m4a	australis (NW NSW)	Contact calls(?)	© MD
eurcoot_20220504.m4a	australis (NW NSW)	Contact calls? (Q&A)	© MD
eurcoot_20161208.m4a	australis (NW NSW)	Alarm call	© MD
eurcoot_20151203.mp3	australis (NW NSW)	Alarm calls	© MD
eurcoot_20160725_2.mp3	australis (NW NSW)	Warning calls(?)	© MD
eurcoot_20200316.m4a	australis (NW NSW)	Warning calls(?)	© MD
eurcoot_20200316_4.m4a	australis (NW NSW)	Mating calls(?)	© MD
eurcoot_20161208_2.m4a	australis (NW NSW)	Upset/fighting(?)	© MD
eurcoot_20161104.mp3	australis (NW NSW)	Alarm calls (chick)	© MD
eurcoot_20230318.mp3	australis (NW NSW)	Various (Adult + 2 juveniles)	© MD
eurcoot_20140716.mp3	australis (NW NSW)	? (Immature)	© MD
eurcoot_20230318_2.mp3	australis (NW NSW)	? (2 juveniles)	© MD
eurcoot_20200316_2.m4a	australis (NW NSW)	?	© MD
eurcoot_20200316_3.m4a	australis (NW NSW)	?	© MD

More Eurasian Coot sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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