Fulica atra

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	GRUIFORMES	RALLIDAE

Scientific Name:

Fulica atra

Species Authority:

Linnaeus, 1758

Common Name/s:

English	–	Common Coot, Coot, Eurasian Coot, European Coot
French	–	Foulque macroule

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

Justification:
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History:

2008	–	Least Concern
2004	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Countries:	Native: 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; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; 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; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; 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 Vagrant: Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Gibraltar; Greenland; Guam; Maldives; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; United States
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Countries:

Native:

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; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; 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; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; 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

Vagrant:

Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Gibraltar; Greenland; Guam; Maldives; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; United States

Range Map:

Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Total regarded as a minimum by Wetlands International (2006).

Population:

Total regarded as a minimum by Wetlands International (2006).

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour Most populations in warm and temperate regions are resident¹, often making nomadic dispersive movements according to changing water levels and seasonal rainfall^{1, 4}.Populations in northern Eurasia are fully migratory however, migrating on a broad front through continental Europe and across the Sahara². Southward movements occur from mid-August to November², with the return passage occurring from late-February² to May¹. The species nests in dispersed solitary pairs^{1, 3, 4}, although it is largely gregarious¹ with flocks (sometimes of several thousand individuals³) frequently forming during the winter^{2, 3, 4}. Adults undergo a post-breeding flightless moult period, with flocks of moulting birds congregating from June-September^{1, 2, 3}. The species is diurnally active and roosts at sunset solitarily or in flocks². It may feed in flocks on land, especially when winds cause high waves on water¹. Habitat The species inhabits large, still or slow-flowing waters^{1, 3} and shows a preference for shallow water with adjacent deeper water (e.g. > 2 m) for diving², and muddy substrates, marginal, emergent, floating or submergent vegetation^{1, 2, 3}. Habitats include eutrophic and mesotrophic² lakes^{1, 3}, pools, ponds, reservoirs, barrages, gravel-pits, canals, drainage ditches, dykes, oxbow lakes^{1, 2, 3}, fish ponds⁷, creeks^{1, 2}, rivers¹ and river deltas², as well as open marshes^{1, 2}, freshwater meadows², flood-lands^{1, 2, 3}, freshwater and saline lagoons⁴, salt-pans, clay-pans^{1, 2} and sewage ponds². It frequently exploits temporary pools and seasonally inundated marshes when breeding (Africa)⁴, and may extend to quiet estuaries or inshore waters in the winter¹. It generally avoids closely overgrown, narrowly confined and very shallow waters, and those overshadowed by trees or cliffs². If solitary the species roosts at sunset on small islets, mudbanks, sandbanks, rocks in water, floating mats of vegetation, floating logs, or branches of trees over water, preferring to roost on open water, in shore vegetation or in meadows adjacent to water if in flocks². Diet This species is omnivorous, although its diet consists primarily of vegetable matter¹ such as algae (e.g. Chara, Cladophora, Spirogyra), the vegetative pasts of aquatic and terrestrial plants (e.g. waterweeds, bulrushes, reeds and grasses), the seeds of waterweeds, sedges, water-lilies, grasses and cereal crops¹, clubmoss Selaginella and aquatic fungi (e.g. Leptomitus)². Animal matter in its diet includes molluscs, adult and larval insects (especially flies, caddisflies, Odonata, Lepidoptera, beetles and bugs)^{1, 2}, worms, leeches, shrimps, spiders¹, small fish^{1, 4}, fish eggs, frogs, birds and bird eggs, and small mammals¹. Breeding site The nest is a platform of vegetation that may be resting on the bottom of shallow water, floating or on a foundation of trampled plant matter in emergent vegetation¹. The species may also nest on artificial platforms, islands, rafts, tree stumps, tree forks¹ or in bushes up to 3 m above the water². Management information A study in the Czech Republic found that fish ponds with a fish stock density of less than 400 kg/ha, water transparency of more than 50 cm, mixed fish stocks (e.g. tench and pike or perch) rather than monospecific stocks (e.g. of carp), and systems that include ponds with fish fry (to provide areas with low fish competition and high invertebrate availability) are more successful in supporting breeding pairs of this species⁷. The cyclical removal of adult fish from an artificial waterbody (gravel pit) in the UK (leaving small fish for piscivorous birds) resulted in increased winter use of the habitat by the species as result of an increase in the growth of submerged aquatic macrophytes¹⁵. The removed fish (dead or alive) were sold to generate funds¹⁵.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour Most populations in warm and temperate regions are resident¹, often making nomadic dispersive movements according to changing water levels and seasonal rainfall^{1, 4}.Populations in northern Eurasia are fully migratory however, migrating on a broad front through continental Europe and across the Sahara². Southward movements occur from mid-August to November², with the return passage occurring from late-February² to May¹. The species nests in dispersed solitary pairs^{1, 3, 4}, although it is largely gregarious¹ with flocks (sometimes of several thousand individuals³) frequently forming during the winter^{2, 3, 4}. Adults undergo a post-breeding flightless moult period, with flocks of moulting birds congregating from June-September^{1, 2, 3}. The species is diurnally active and roosts at sunset solitarily or in flocks². It may feed in flocks on land, especially when winds cause high waves on water¹. Habitat The species inhabits large, still or slow-flowing waters^{1, 3} and shows a preference for shallow water with adjacent deeper water (e.g. > 2 m) for diving², and muddy substrates, marginal, emergent, floating or submergent vegetation^{1, 2, 3}. Habitats include eutrophic and mesotrophic² lakes^{1, 3}, pools, ponds, reservoirs, barrages, gravel-pits, canals, drainage ditches, dykes, oxbow lakes^{1, 2, 3}, fish ponds⁷, creeks^{1, 2}, rivers¹ and river deltas², as well as open marshes^{1, 2}, freshwater meadows², flood-lands^{1, 2, 3}, freshwater and saline lagoons⁴, salt-pans, clay-pans^{1, 2} and sewage ponds². It frequently exploits temporary pools and seasonally inundated marshes when breeding (Africa)⁴, and may extend to quiet estuaries or inshore waters in the winter¹. It generally avoids closely overgrown, narrowly confined and very shallow waters, and those overshadowed by trees or cliffs². If solitary the species roosts at sunset on small islets, mudbanks, sandbanks, rocks in water, floating mats of vegetation, floating logs, or branches of trees over water, preferring to roost on open water, in shore vegetation or in meadows adjacent to water if in flocks². Diet This species is omnivorous, although its diet consists primarily of vegetable matter¹ such as algae (e.g. Chara, Cladophora, Spirogyra), the vegetative pasts of aquatic and terrestrial plants (e.g. waterweeds, bulrushes, reeds and grasses), the seeds of waterweeds, sedges, water-lilies, grasses and cereal crops¹, clubmoss Selaginella and aquatic fungi (e.g. Leptomitus)². Animal matter in its diet includes molluscs, adult and larval insects (especially flies, caddisflies, Odonata, Lepidoptera, beetles and bugs)^{1, 2}, worms, leeches, shrimps, spiders¹, small fish^{1, 4}, fish eggs, frogs, birds and bird eggs, and small mammals¹. Breeding site The nest is a platform of vegetation that may be resting on the bottom of shallow water, floating or on a foundation of trampled plant matter in emergent vegetation¹. The species may also nest on artificial platforms, islands, rafts, tree stumps, tree forks¹ or in bushes up to 3 m above the water². Management information A study in the Czech Republic found that fish ponds with a fish stock density of less than 400 kg/ha, water transparency of more than 50 cm, mixed fish stocks (e.g. tench and pike or perch) rather than monospecific stocks (e.g. of carp), and systems that include ponds with fish fry (to provide areas with low fish competition and high invertebrate availability) are more successful in supporting breeding pairs of this species⁷. The cyclical removal of adult fish from an artificial waterbody (gravel pit) in the UK (leaving small fish for piscivorous birds) resulted in increased winter use of the habitat by the species as result of an increase in the growth of submerged aquatic macrophytes¹⁵. The removed fish (dead or alive) were sold to generate funds¹⁵.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species suffers disturbance¹⁰ and mortality (Azerbaijan) from hunting¹, and is poisoned by ingesting lead shot (France)¹¹. It is also threatened by oil and petroleum pollution (Azerbaijan¹ and the Kaliningrad region, Russia⁵), and by habitat degradation and loss due to agricultural drainage schemes (Pakistan)², wetland drainage, peat-extraction, changing wetland management practices (decreased grazing and mowing in meadows leading to scrub over-growth) and the burning and mowing of reeds⁵. The species is often drowned in freshwater fishing nets with mesh sizes greater than 5 cm (China)¹², and suffers predation from American mink Neovison vison (Slonsk Reserve, Poland¹³ and UK¹⁴). It is also susceptible to avian influenza, so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus⁶. Utilisation The species is hunted for sport in the Mediterranean², Denmark⁹, Northern Ireland¹⁰ and Iran⁸, and for food in the Mediterranean², Iran⁸, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and neighbouring countries², especially when it is flightless during the post-breeding moult².

Major Threat(s):

This species suffers disturbance¹⁰ and mortality (Azerbaijan) from hunting¹, and is poisoned by ingesting lead shot (France)¹¹. It is also threatened by oil and petroleum pollution (Azerbaijan¹ and the Kaliningrad region, Russia⁵), and by habitat degradation and loss due to agricultural drainage schemes (Pakistan)², wetland drainage, peat-extraction, changing wetland management practices (decreased grazing and mowing in meadows leading to scrub over-growth) and the burning and mowing of reeds⁵. The species is often drowned in freshwater fishing nets with mesh sizes greater than 5 cm (China)¹², and suffers predation from American mink Neovison vison (Slonsk Reserve, Poland¹³ and UK¹⁴). It is also susceptible to avian influenza, so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus⁶. Utilisation The species is hunted for sport in the Mediterranean², Denmark⁹, Northern Ireland¹⁰ and Iran⁸, and for food in the Mediterranean², Iran⁸, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and neighbouring countries², especially when it is flightless during the post-breeding moult².

Bibliography [top]

	Balmaki, B.; Barati, A. 2006. Harvesting status of migratory waterfowl in northern Iran: a case study from Gilan Province. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 868-869. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Bartoszewicz, M.; Zalewski, A. 2003. American mink, Mustela vison diet and predation on waterfowl in the Slonsk Reserve, western Poland. Folia Zoologica 52(3): 225-238. Bregnballe, T.; Noer, H.; Christensen, T. K.; Clausen, P.; Asferg, T.; Fox, A. D.; Delany, S. 2006. Sustainable hunting of migratory waterbirds: the Danish approach. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 854-860. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Evans, D. M.; Day, K. R. 2002. Hunting disturbance on a large shallow lake: the effectiveness of waterfowl refuges. Ibis 144(1): 2-8. Ferreras, P.; MacDonald, D. W. 1999. The impact of American mink Mustela vison on water birds in the upper Thames. Journal of Applied Ecology 36: 701-708. Giles, N. 1994. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) habitat use and brood survival increases after fish removal from gravel pit lakes. Hydrobiologia 279/280: 387-392. Grishanov, D. 2006. Conservation problems of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds and their habitats in the Kaliningrad region of Russia. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 356. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Melville, D. S.; Shortridge, K. F. 2006. Migratory waterbirds and avian influenza in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway with particular reference to the 2003-2004 H5N1 outbreak. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 432-438. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Mondain-Monval, J. Y.; Desnouhes, L.; Taris, J. P. 2002. Lead shot ingestion in waterbirds in the Camargue, (France). Game and Wildlife Science 19(3): 237-246. Musil, P. 2006. A review of the effects of intensive fish production on waterbird breeding populations. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 520-521. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Quan, R. C.; Wen, W.; Yang, X. 2002. Effects of human activities on migratory waterbirds at Lashihai Lake, China. Biological Conservation 108: 273-279. Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Taylor, B.; van Perlo, B. 1998. Rails: a guide to the rails, crakes, gallinules and coots of the world. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. 1986. The birds of Africa vol. II. Academic Press, London.

Balmaki, B.; Barati, A. 2006. Harvesting status of migratory waterfowl in northern Iran: a case study from Gilan Province. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 868-869. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

Bartoszewicz, M.; Zalewski, A. 2003. American mink, Mustela vison diet and predation on waterfowl in the Slonsk Reserve, western Poland. Folia Zoologica 52(3): 225-238.

Bregnballe, T.; Noer, H.; Christensen, T. K.; Clausen, P.; Asferg, T.; Fox, A. D.; Delany, S. 2006. Sustainable hunting of migratory waterbirds: the Danish approach. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 854-860. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Evans, D. M.; Day, K. R. 2002. Hunting disturbance on a large shallow lake: the effectiveness of waterfowl refuges. Ibis 144(1): 2-8.

Ferreras, P.; MacDonald, D. W. 1999. The impact of American mink Mustela vison on water birds in the upper Thames. Journal of Applied Ecology 36: 701-708.

Giles, N. 1994. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) habitat use and brood survival increases after fish removal from gravel pit lakes. Hydrobiologia 279/280: 387-392.

Grishanov, D. 2006. Conservation problems of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds and their habitats in the Kaliningrad region of Russia. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 356. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

Melville, D. S.; Shortridge, K. F. 2006. Migratory waterbirds and avian influenza in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway with particular reference to the 2003-2004 H5N1 outbreak. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 432-438. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

Mondain-Monval, J. Y.; Desnouhes, L.; Taris, J. P. 2002. Lead shot ingestion in waterbirds in the Camargue, (France). Game and Wildlife Science 19(3): 237-246.

Musil, P. 2006. A review of the effects of intensive fish production on waterbird breeding populations. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 520-521. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

Quan, R. C.; Wen, W.; Yang, X. 2002. Effects of human activities on migratory waterbirds at Lashihai Lake, China. Biological Conservation 108: 273-279.

Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Taylor, B.; van Perlo, B. 1998. Rails: a guide to the rails, crakes, gallinules and coots of the world. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK.

Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. 1986. The birds of Africa vol. II. Academic Press, London.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Fulica atra. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
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