Eurasian coot

    Fulica atra

Castilian: Focha común

Catalan: Fotja vulgar

Gallego: Galiñola negra

Euskera: Kopetazuri arrunta

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Gruiformes

Family: Rallidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

listen song

THREATS

Changes caused by humans in wetlands (as well as their disappearance), the effect of long periods of drought, and pressure from hunters.

Length / size: 36-38 cm / 70-80 cm

Identification: Robust bird with uniform black plumage, a white bill and front shield. Juveniles are greyish and their face and throat are lighter, and their shield is also smaller.

Song: Quite noisy, it makes different types of sound, especially a brief and repeating "kweeuk".

Diet: Plant matter predominates in its diet, specifically stalks, shoots and seeds from aquatic plants like cat's-tails, rushes, reeds, and algae. It also catches small vertebrates, insects, worms and mollusks, especially during breeding season.

Reproduction: Although it is a gregarious species, it becomes very territorial when breeding. Both adults are responsible for building the nest, which consists of a platform made of aquatic plant stalks that the birds have bent but which remain anchored to the bottom, to which they add other materials. They also are responsible for incubation. Shortly after hatching, the chicks leave the nest to join their parents.

HABITAT

It prefers calm waters of considerable depths and abundant river vegetation where it can nest and hide. However, it is not a demanding species and can be found in lagoons, marshes, reservoirs, mountain lakes and rivers.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is distributed throughout the entire peninsula and the Canary and Balearic Islands.

In Castile and León: It is distributed throughout all the provinces, with the most noteworthy places being Villafáfila (Zamora), La Nava Lake (Palencia), the swamps of Monteagudo (Soria), and Santa Espina (Valladolid), among others.

Movements and migrations: It behaves as a partial migrant. During the unfavourable season, northern populations travel south, reaching our latitudes (Guadalquivir marshes, Ebro Delta) and even Africa. In the peninsula, they only make dispersive movements after breeding.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of more than 20000 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: There is an estimated population of at least 2600 breeding pairs.