Coot (Common Coot)
Fulica atra
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Distribution Britain 1,603 (-5.1%) Ireland 354 (-37.2%)
Numbers breeding: Britain 46,000 Ireland 8,600 adults European status: 1,200,000 (2% in Britain and Ireland) British population trend: relatively stable — CBC down, WBS up{+17%} How likely are you to record it? 411 squares (9.2%) Ranked 66 [68] |
Coots need bodies of shallow, open and vegetated water on which to breed and, where they can find it, they will be present. They are absent from much of North-west Scotland and the islands — but recently increased on Orkney. There were declines 50 or 60 years ago and there is evidence that they were lost from some squares between the two breeding atlases — especially in Ireland. However there are very good numbers of birds at many breeding sites and although the CBC index fell by 22% the WBS increased by 274% — both were possibly unrepresentative but the difference between the two is that WBS have to be wet! In many areas Coots have become tame birds of urban parks largely feeding on bread! Here to stay.
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead