Description: Eurasian Coot Fulica atra are 33-38 cm long, which is slightly smaller than a Dusky Moorhen. Coots are distinguished from water hens by their white bill and frontal shield. They have a black head with red iris. Their body is usually dark grey but during moulting the feathers turn brown. The legs are dark grey and the feet are lobed to assist swimming and diving. They often jerk their head forward and back when swimming. The female is similar but slightly smaller, while juveniles have a red face and a greyish body.

Eurasian Coot - Webster's Australian Birds

Flight: Strong, direct and fly long distances, usually at night, with their neck extended and their feet trailing behind the tail.

Voice: Various shrill "kerrk," "kyik," "kyok," "kowk,"or "tok" notes.

Food: They feed mainly on shoots, leaves and stems of aquatic plants, but occasionally eat berries, herbs, small fish, molluscs and insects. They feed either while on the shore, swimming near the shore, or diving in deeper water.

Habitat: They are sometimes seen on brackish water but have a preference for fresh water; rivers, swamps and open lakes which have a good cover of reeds like at Bushy Park Wetlands.

Breeding: Both sexes share in nest building during the spring and feeding of the young in summer. The nest is an open bulky platform of reeds, rushes, or sticks about 26-39cm in diameter built on a logs, bush, or reeds in water. The usually clutch is six to nine 52x35mm whitish-brown eggs with purple and violet spots. Incubation takes from 23-26 days.