Photo: Alexis Lours / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cranes & Rails

Eurasian Coot

Fulica atra

Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) — Cranes & Rails of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Quebec

By family

Rails, Crakes & Coots of New South Wales Rails, Crakes & Coots of Northern Territory Rails, Crakes & Coots of Queensland Rails, Crakes & Coots of Tasmania Rails, Crakes & Coots of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Australia & Oceania, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 717 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Gruiformes
Family Rallidae Rails, Crakes & Coots
Genus Fulica
Species atra

Where it lives

Widespread

Quick facts

Weight: 717 g
Diet: Aquatic plant-eaters
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

American Coot

Fulica americana

Least Concern

Red-gartered Coot

Fulica armillata

Least Concern

White-winged Coot

Fulica leucoptera

Least Concern

Red-fronted Coot

Fulica rufifrons

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Eurasian Coot feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Eurasian Coot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR, AU widespread.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 717 g, with a wing length of about 19.8 cm and a tail of around 5.4 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 33.5 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Eurasian Coot — Call, flight call, nocturnal flight call

Recorded by Mark James Pearson Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Eurasian Coot?

The Eurasian Coot is a large bird that weighs around 717 g.

Where does the Eurasian Coot live?

The Eurasian Coot is found across Australia & Oceania, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR, AU widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Eurasian Coot belong to?

The Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Eurasian Coot eat?

The Eurasian Coot feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Does the Eurasian Coot migrate?

The Eurasian Coot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Eurasian Coot endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Eurasian Coot make?

1 real field recording of the Eurasian Coot — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Eurasian Coot's range?

The Eurasian Coot has a mapped global range of about 33.5 million km².