The Common Coot Fulica atra

Features

The common coot is a water bird and a member of the rail and crake bird family.

Species	Bird
Living space	Lake, Pond, Swamp
Size	36 -42 cm
Weight	720 g

Description

The common coot is black and round, with a short tail, typical beak and a shield of white. They have short wings and do not fly well. They swim well and also dive - the webbing on their bluish gray toes help them with that. They are omnivores, but mostly feed on food of plant origin. They mainly eat algae, water shoots, waterside vegetation and their seeds. They also feed on snails, leeches, spiders, fish, eggs, chicks, and frogs' tadpoles. The common coot is a waterbird that lives mainly on large standing water or slowly running water with muddy bottoms and aquatic plants. They are a territorial species and parents defend their nests. Early in the spring, they make hollow nests out of dead plants in reeds along the water.