Giant Coot
A species of Coots Scientific name : Fulica gigantea Genus : Coots
Giant Coot, A species of Coots
Botanical name: Fulica gigantea
Genus: Coots
Content
Description
Photo By Lars Petersson
Description
With a total length of 48–64 cm (19–25 in), it is the second largest extant member of the family Rallidae, after the takahe, and adults are considered functionally flightless. It is the only coot with reddish legs. It has a small white frontal shield. Its beak is tipped black. An adult male weighed 2.7 kg (6.0 lb) while three adult females weighed 2.03–2.4 kg (4.5–5.3 lb).
Size
59 cm
Feeding Habits
Giant Coot primarily consumes aquatic vegetation including Myriophyllum and Potamogeton. They forage using sideways throwing movements, upend like dabbling ducks, and occasionally dive, showing varied feeding behaviors and an adaptive diet that excludes Chara.
Habitat
Giant Coot primarily inhabits ponds and lakes situated in barren highlands, favoring environments with extensive weedy shallows. These birds predominantly select lakes that have emergent vegetation, though they are typically found in open waters rather than within the vegetative cover. Their nesting sites are often associated with wide shallows that possess copious weed growth, which limits the availability of optimal breeding locations.
Dite type
Herbivorous
Photo By Lars Petersson