The juvenile is paler than the adult, has a whitish breast, and lacks the facial shield; the adult black plumage develops when about 3–4 months old, but the white shield is only fully developed at about one year old.
At a glance
Sounds
Range map
Range map
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Distinctive stocky waterbird. Immature has a pale breast and a duller bill that becomes brighter white with age. When walking on shore, note big feet with lobed toes. Inhabits both freshwater and brackish marshes, lakeshores, and riverways; occasionally on saltwater. Unmistakable throughout much of range, but compare with very similar Red-knobbed Coot in areas of overlap.
Behavior
Breeding pairs aggressively territorial but nonbreeding flocks can number in hundreds. Calls are diverse, and include various high-pitched squeaks, squawks, and shorter, more clipped notes.
Gallery