Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-fronted Coot
Fulica rufifrons
Red-fronted Coot (Fulica rufifrons) — Cranes & Rails of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-fronted Coot (Fulica rufifrons) is a member of the Rallidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 644 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Gruiformes
- Family Rallidae Rails, Crakes & Coots
- Genus Fulica
- Species rufifrons
Quick facts
- Weight
- 644 g
- Diet
- Aquatic plant-eaters
- Family
- Rallidae
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-fronted Coot feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Red-fronted Coot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-fronted Coot (Fulica rufifrons) is a species of bird in the Rallidae family, part of the order Gruiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Southern Cone.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 644 g, with a wing length of about 16.9 cm and a tail of around 5.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-fronted Coot?
The Red-fronted Coot is a large bird that weighs around 644 g.
Where does the Red-fronted Coot live?
The Red-fronted Coot is found across South America with a range covering SA Southern Cone, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Red-fronted Coot belong to?
The Red-fronted Coot (Fulica rufifrons) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.
What does the Red-fronted Coot eat?
The Red-fronted Coot feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Does the Red-fronted Coot migrate?
The Red-fronted Coot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-fronted 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 Red-fronted Coot make?
1 real field recording of the Red-fronted 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 Red-fronted Coot's range?
The Red-fronted Coot has a mapped global range of about 1.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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