Eurasian Coot

Description:

This is a noisy bird with a wide repertoire of crackling, explosive, or trumpeting calls, often given at night. The Coot is 32–42 cm (13–17 in) long and weighs 585–1,100 g (1.29–2.4 lb), and is largely black except for the white facial shield (which gave rise to the phrase "as bald as a coot", which the Oxford English Dictionary cites in use as early as 1430)

Habitat:

The Coot breeds across much of the Old World on freshwater lakes and ponds. It occurs and breeds in Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. The species has recently expanded its range into New Zealand. It is resident in the milder parts of its range, but migrates further south and west from much of Asia in winter as the waters freeze.

Notes:

The Eurasian Coot is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies