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Adult is dark gray overall with a white bill and forehead shield.
Not listed
Indigenous: Australian Coot, Coot, Toorie
At a glance
FamilyRails, Gallinules, and Coots
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatReedbeds, marsh edges, farm dams, sedgelands, and thick waterside vegetation.
Best timeReported across most months in Victoria, with no narrow seasonal peak.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by David Darrell-Lambert
Range map
Range map
6664visible hotspots
633792visible records
6states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
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