Resources Recent bird sightings Bird Photographs Notes: A - Z Index Notes: Taxonomic Index Outer Hebrides Checklist Useful contacts Archived Sightings Wildlife Garden Bird ringing in Lewis

Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Coot

 

Coot

(Cooit, Snyth, Snysin)

Gallinula chloropus

Gaelic: Lach-bhlàir

Photograph © Debbie Bozkurt
Benbecula - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
18th February, 2007

• Coot
• AKA: Eurasian Coot, Snysin, Bald Coot
• Fulica atra
• UK Resident Breeder/ Winter visitor
• UK 22,600- 28,000 pairs (summer), 180,000 (winter) RSPB
• Distribution: Europe, Asia, Australia. Resident in mild areas (inc UK)
• Breeds: Nest a pile of dead reeds at water's edge. Open water areas with nearby vegetation. Mostly freshwater lakes, marsh, slow rivers, gravel pits, reservoirs. Fiercely defends territory - charges intruders.
• Winters in similar areas. Often forms large flocks. Sometimes when freshwater frozen is seen in harbours or offshore
• Diet: Omnivorous: mostly plants, snails, insects, some eggs,
• Plump medium-sized waterfowl (rail family). Flat-backed. Mostly sooty-grey. Black head with white frontal plate & white bill. Short tail. Lobed toes (flaps of skin rather than webbed). Strong legs, fast runners! Runs splashing across water as part of take-off. Short, rounded wings (weak fliers. The migratory species do so at night). Prefers open water (other rails hide). Head nods when swimming.
• Max recorded age 20yr 7mth, typical lifespan 5yrs
• Listen to a coot (RSPB site)
• Similar birds: moorhen

Two or more coots are called a covert or cover of coot.

The white frontal plate above the bill is fleshy and has no feathers, and is where the phrase "bald as a coot" comes from.

 

Debbie's online photo album

Other local bird photographs

Sources of information for the bird sightings section

Home • Contact Webmaster • Advertising

Copyright © 2006 Western Isles Netspace.  User Agreement and Privacy policy