Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Horned Coot
Fulica cornuta
Horned Coot (Fulica cornuta) — Cranes & Rails of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Horned Coot (Fulica cornuta) is a member of the Rallidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 2.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Gruiformes
- Family Rallidae Rails, Crakes & Coots
- Genus Fulica
- Species cornuta
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.1 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic plant-eaters
- Family
- Rallidae
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Horned Coot feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Horned Coot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Horned Coot (Fulica cornuta) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA n Chile to nw Argentina.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.1 kg, with a wing length of about 29.1 cm and a tail of around 6.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 223,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Horned Coot?
The Horned Coot is a very large bird that weighs around 2.1 kg.
Where does the Horned Coot live?
The Horned Coot is found across South America with a range covering SA n Chile to nw Argentina, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Horned Coot belong to?
The Horned Coot (Fulica cornuta) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.
What does the Horned Coot eat?
The Horned Coot feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Does the Horned Coot migrate?
The Horned Coot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Horned Coot endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Horned Coot make?
1 real field recording of the Horned 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 Horned Coot's range?
The Horned Coot has a mapped global range of about 223,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Rallidae
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Cranes & Rails
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Endangered
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Endangered