Giant coot

The giant coot (Fulica gigantea) is a species of coot from South America. It is found at lakes in the altiplano from central Peru, through western Bolivia, to north-eastern Chile and extreme north-western Argentina.

Giant coot
in northern Chile
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Fulica
Species:
F. gigantea
Binomial name
Fulica gigantea

Description

With a total length of 48–64 cm (19–25 in),[2] it is the second largest extant member of the family Rallidae, after the takahe, and adults are considered functionally flightless.[3] It is the only coot with reddish legs.[2] It has a small white frontal shield. Its beak is tipped black. An adult male weighed 2.7 kg (6.0 lb) while three adult females weighed 2.03–2.4 kg (4.5–5.3 lb).[4]

Breeding

As in the related horned coot, the giant coot is monogamous and the pair builds a huge nest in a highland lake. However, unlike the horned coot, the nest of the giant coot is primarily made of aquatic vegetation and – as it is fiercely territorial – it never forms colonies.[3]

  • Young
  • Adult and young feeding
  • Giant coot with several young
  • Several adult Giant Coots resting on land at Chungara Park, northernmost Chile.

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Fulica gigantea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Jaramillo, A. Burke, P., & Beadle, D. (2003). Birds of Chile. Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-4688-8
  3. Taylor, P. B. (1996). Giant Coot (Fulica gigantea). pp. 209 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. (1996). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 3. Hoatzins to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-20-2
  4. Taylor, Barry, Rails: A Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World. Yale University Press (1998), ISBN 978-0-300-07758-2.


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