A black, rather dumpy waterbird, with a very prominent ivory-white bill and frontal shield. It can be found on lakes, reservoirs and rivers, as well as smaller ponds and village tanks. It is commonly found in Samudram and Keezhnathur Eris. A small population was found to be living in Thamarai kulam in the summer. It is a gregarious bird and is often seen in large numbers when the winter visitors arrive. When taking off it skitters along the water, half-running, half-flying, eventually rising with much effort and pattering of feet on the water. It feeds on aquatic weeds, paddy shoots, insects and molluscs. The call is a clear, loud trumpet-like cry, often heard at night. Its nest is a large compact mass of rushes and matted reeds slightly above water level, often built on submerged tree branches.
🗒 Synonyms
| No Data |
🗒 Common Names
| Assamese |
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| English |
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📚 Overview
Summary
Bird group
Rails and coots
Description
The adult bird is blackish with a white bill and frontal shield, whereas the juveniles are grey brown with whitish throat and breast. During flight shows paler trailing edge to secondaries. Immature ones are duller than adult with whitish throat.
No Data
📚 Nomenclature and Classification
📚 Natural History
Trophic Strategy
The coot is an omnivore (small live prey including the eggs of other water birds, as well as algae, vegetation, seeds and fruit).
No Data
📚 Habitat and Distribution
General Habitat
Habitat
Terrestrial
Marine
Freshwater
As a resident found spraingly on rush bordered irrigation tanks etc.
Habitats include eutrophic and mesotrophic lakes, pools, ponds, reservoirs, barrages, gravel-pits, canals, drainage ditches, dykes, oxbow lakes, fish ponds, creeks rivers and river deltas, as well as open marshes, freshwater meadows, flood-lands, freshwater and saline lagoons, salt-pans, clay-pans and sewage ponds.
Description
Global Distribution
India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Distribution In India
Throughout the Indian Union up to 3000m above msl in the Himalayas
Distribution In Assam
Migratory in Assam
Fulica atra is native to Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Chad, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Islamic Republic of, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, Korea, Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territory, Occupied, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation (Central Asian Russia, Eastern Asian Russia, European Russia), Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Taiwan, Province of China, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Western Sahara, Yemen. It is Vagrant in Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Gibraltar, Greenland, Guam, Maldives, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, United States.
No Data
📚 Occurrence
No Data
📚 Demography and Conservation
Trends
Decreasing
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Category
Least Concern
IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Threats
This species suffers from human disturbance, habitat degradation and loss due to agricultural drainage schemes, wetland drainage, peat-extraction, changing wetland management practices and the burning and mowing of reeds. They are also threatened by hunting, and is poisoned by ingesting lead shot. They are threatened by oil and petroleum pollution
Protection Legal Status
Schedule IV
No Data
📚 Uses and Management
📚 Information Listing
References
- Praveen J., Jayapal, R., & Pittie, A., 2016. Checklist of the birds of India (v1.1). Website: http://www.indianbirds.in/india/ [Date of publication: 03 October, 2016].
- Praveen J., Jayapal, R., & Pittie, A., 2018. Checklist of the birds of India (v2.0). Website: http://www.indianbirds.in/india/ [Date of publication: 31 January, 2018].
- BirdLife International. 2016. Fulica atra. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22692913A89498332. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692913A89498332.en. Downloaded on 28 April 2018.
- Praveen, J. Jayapal, R. & Pittie. A. (2016). A checklist of the birds of India. Indian Birds.11: 113-170.
- Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C., &Inskipp, T. (2011) Birds of Indian Subcontinent, 2nd Edition,Oxford University Press, London. 480 pp.
Information Listing > References
- Praveen J., Jayapal, R., & Pittie, A., 2016. Checklist of the birds of India (v1.1). Website: http://www.indianbirds.in/india/ [Date of publication: 03 October, 2016].
- Praveen J., Jayapal, R., & Pittie, A., 2018. Checklist of the birds of India (v2.0). Website: http://www.indianbirds.in/india/ [Date of publication: 31 January, 2018].
- BirdLife International. 2016. Fulica atra. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22692913A89498332. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692913A89498332.en. Downloaded on 28 April 2018.
- Praveen, J. Jayapal, R. & Pittie. A. (2016). A checklist of the birds of India. Indian Birds.11: 113-170.
- Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C., &Inskipp, T. (2011) Birds of Indian Subcontinent, 2nd Edition,Oxford University Press, London. 480 pp.
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ZarreenNo Data
🐾 Taxonomy
| Root | Root |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Gruiformes |
| Family | Rallidae |
| Genus | Fulica |
| Species | Fulica atra Linnaeus 1758 |
📊 Temporal Distribution
📷 Related Observations
👥 Groups
