Family : Rallidae

Text © Dr. Gianfranco Colombo

English translation by Mario Beltramini

A approaching appalling storm? No, it's only a coot (Fulica atra ) entering dramatically the scene. One of its usual ways to frighten the opponents is stomping loudly on the water surface causing many high and fluffy sprays, in whose middle the bird shape gets bigger and make it look a dangerous menace © Gianfranco Colombo

Then, if the danger doesn't get away, it does not hesitate in attacking the adversary with all the possible vehemence using its long legs and scratching it with the strong nails in a furious struggle accompanied by acute and screaming cries, while here, in foreground, the future husband looks indifferent to the quarrel © Gianfranco Colombo

All Fulica astra life is strictly linked to the water © Gianfranco Colombo
Such a habit grants an easy way for making abundant preys therefore many concur for getting many provisions for a long time …
In fact, once ended the time of nidification the coot gathers in flocks at times very consistent and shelters on the Alpine lakes, in the plain swamps, along the rivers but also in the public gardens of big cities where, mixed with ducks and other aquatic birds, begs for the food from the citizens moved to pity due to the inclement winter.
Yet at this time it keeps a very humble behaviour towards the other birds, trying to steal them some morsels without showing the usual misbehaviour it distinguishes it from all other birds.
As a matter of fact, the coot has a very bad temper with all, quarrelsome beyond belief, unwelcome by its winged or not neighbours, poorly tolerated by the conspecifics.
Somewhat like the moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), bird belonging to the same family but much more humble and more timid in the behaviour even if it also does not represent a model of goodness.
The coot spends most of its time, in particular during the period of nidification, in fighting ceaselessly whoever passes close, engaging in fierce and very noisy struggles.
One of its usual ways for frightening the opponents or even intruders absolutely not interested of its problems, is that of stamping loudly on the surface of the water causing high and fluffy sprays, in the middle of which its shape gets bigger making it appear as a more dangerous menace than what actually is.
Not satisfied, here it is leaving without any warning, in a crazy race on the water head down and with squeaky voice, towards the intruder that unaware and calmly relaxed at tens of metres far away, gets himself suddenly facing an approaching hurricane.

The distribution range is very vast: from Europe and North Africa through Asia up to Siberia and Australia © Gianfranco Colombo

Rarely touches the ground, unless it sees a tasty prey, or as here, along the bank, at the time of grooming, while it combs carefully with its long semiwebbed fingers with sharp nails © Giuseppe Mazza
The etymology of the scientific name gets probably origin for the genus Fulica, from the Latin “fuligo, fuliginis” = dark, sooty, confirming then with the term atra the same concept.
It is well known in Italy and finds locally rather particular and interesting vernacular names confirming its presence in all the national territory.
Folghe, foega, sfoio, pulun, priton and many others.
In Europe is onomatopoeically Coot in English, Bläßhuhn in German, Focha in Spanish, Foulque macroule in French, Folaga in Italian e Galeirão comum in Portuguese.
Zoogeography
The coot has a very vast range covering various continents. It is present in Europe, in North Africa and in almost all Asia from Siberia up to Australia. In Europe it is well diffused and present in great number in the suitable habitats. Also in Italy it is found at any latitude and in the Mediterranean islands, in particular during the double passage when flocks of a certain consistency take form.

It's thanks to these lobed fingers that the coot does not sink while advancing easily among the aquatic plants, that may look for food on the bottom of water streams, swimming nimbly in immersion, and that may take off with a run on the water surface, seen that has only 70 cm of wingspan against 600-800 g of weight © Colombo

As happens for many ducks, the mallard for instance, also here the mating, literally breathtaking, occurs in water, with the female in apnea, almost invisible below © Gianfranco Colombo
The habitat of the coot varies depending on the season even if essential is the presence of water and of a well thick and vast riparian vegetation.
It loves a lot the averagely deep waters where it can dive to pick up algae on the bottom or to look for the preys it nourishes of. It is not present in the dry and mountainous areas nor even in dense woods.
Rarely the coot gets to the ground unless if gotten greedy by some delicacy sighted on the nearby meadow or for stretching its legs for some minutes and for grooming the feathers while keeping the feet dry.
Its life passes permanently in the water where it very easily floats and where it finds all what is necessary for its life.
In the water it nourishes, hides, mates, nidifies and breeds its progeny.
Water is an essential element for the presence of the coot whether it is a vast swamp densely covered by phragmites or by dense marshy herbs, or an artificial small pond or an abandoned quarry and, nowadays, even a small lake in a city park with an islet and four reeds.

The floating nest is a mass of branches. It contains even 12 eggs brooded in turn by the parents. Here the mother finally sees a popping out pullet it tenderly grooms © Giuseppe Mazza

They often come to life together. They are already two and the excited father takes food to the nest: algae, chopped aquatic plants and small animals for a protein intake © Giuseppe Mazza

Now the pullets are five. Other eggs must hatch but the parents are both in the duckweed covered canal looking for food © Giuseppe Mazza
Morpho-physiology
As it is well reiterated in its scientific name, the coot is black. A slate black when reflexed by the sun but unquestionably dark when seen from far away and discernable from the livery of the moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) only due to the white beak and the white plate marking its front. This shield is visible even from far away rendering it easy to distinguish from the bright red one of the moorhen. Very few are the particulars for distinguishing the sexes, the male often shows a vaster frontal shield and the female has a slightly bigger size.

The chiks are decidedly nidifugous and after mreal all in water with mum and dad, but the last born still hesitant in the nest © Giuseppe Mazza

The species prolificacy is great, with even two broods a year, but most of the chiks die during the first days of life devoured by raptors, crows, herons and pikes © G. Mazza
These are double independent appendages on each phalanx that close on themselves when the leg is brought forward and open when moved backwards, creating that palmate area necessary to give propulsion to the movement. The coot is a bird with a stocky body, compact, grouped on itself, with robust neck and hooked beak it uses for tearing off the weeds it eats, from the roots floating on the surface as well as on the bottom of the water body even at some metres of depth. This capacity of immersion is eased by the lobed fingers that, used for this purpose, give the necessary thrust for plunging a body having a strong buoyancy and that, otherwise, would be impossible to plunge.

Tender family group. The young grow at sight surrounded day and night by the parents love © Giuseppe Mazza

A generous ration of “green noodles” based on filamentous algae, roots and leaves chopped artfully. It is not rare, with all these delicate attentions, that at times the young get bigger than the adults © Giuseppe Mazza
Ethology-Reproductive Biology
The coot is a good reproducer and may nidify twice a year but even more can lay considerable quantities of eggs per each single brood. Up to 12 eggs, of good size, with a weight over the 40 g, white with reddish dotting that are brooded by both parents for about 3 weeks.
This situation is however counterbalanced by a high juvenile mortality but also by a discrete reduction during the harsh winters.
As typical to the birds nidifying on the ground, besides from above, they are subject also to the predation by the animals frequenting the habitat where they live.
The coot lives on the water and the danger often comes rightly from this element in a sudden and unexpected way and against this the adults nothing can do.
It’s enough that in the small lake is present a Pike (Esox lucius) and here are the first poor victims, the chicks of aquatic birds who, follwing the parents during their first swims, are suddenly sucked by an invisible aquatic monster. A wince, a short water surge and a chick has disappeared.
Then from above, do lie in wait the Western marsh harriers (Circus aeruginosus), the no less voracious Hen harriers (Circus sp.), the ubiquitous Grey herons (Ardea cinerea) but also the Grey crows (Corvus cornix), Long-eared owls (Asio otus) and the Little owls (Athene noctua).
The nest is built by both partners inside the reed bed and can float and resist to the sudden raise of the level of the water or on brambles or suspended branches over it or exceptionally high on a pollarded trunk but always close to the water surface. The base is formed by bulrushes and dried up weeds piled untidily to form platforms even half a metre tall, often used again during the year as well as in the following season. The young are nidifugous and come to life with a blackish down that leaves partially the head bare rensering them similar to subjects with an early juvenile baldness. They are born almost at the same time and leave the nest a few hours after the hatching even if the same is used for spending the night.

The coots eat all what they meet on their path: small fishes, tadpoles, molluscs, insect larvae, crustaceans and even small snakes or nestlings. The main dish is however often formed by vegetation: algae and aquatic plants collected in surface or directly on the bottom of the basin up to some metres of depth © Giuseppe Mazza

With the arrival of the first winter cold the coots suddenly loose their usual quarrelsomeness to gather in flocks, sometimes even very important, mixed with the ducks and the other aquatic birds that before did not bear. With them they approach the inhabited areas to beg food in the city parks © Gianfranco Colombo
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