Uploaded February 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The Eurasian Coot is a widespread species that has successfully colonised mainland Australia. They can be found in just about any freshwater habitat that is deep enough to support their diving method of feeding. They tend to feed on various aquatic plants. The Coots build a floating raft nest constructed of vegetation. Although a common species, one can appreciated that they are quite handsome, especially in good light which shows their blood red eyes.
The Eurasian Coot, with its sooty-black plumage and gleaming white bill and frontal shield covering its forehead, is a familiar bird across Europe and Asia as well as Australia. It is often seen running across the water’s surface or swimming in huge flocks on large wetlands, but they equally often occur on small ponds. They require submerged aquatic vegetation or mats of floating waterweed, among which they forage, diving below the surface for up to 20 seconds, or plucking the stems of emergent shoots.
I filmed this pair on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
The Eurasian Coot is a widespread species that has successfully colonised mainland Australia. They can be found in just about any freshwater habitat that is deep enough to support their diving method of feeding. They tend to feed on various aquatic plants. The Coots build a floating raft nest constructed of vegetation. Although a common species, one can appreciated that they are quite handsome, especially in good light which shows their blood red eyes.
The Eurasian Coot, with its sooty-black plumage and gleaming white bill and frontal shield covering its forehead, is a familiar bird across Europe and Asia as well as Australia. It is often seen running across the water’s surface or swimming in huge flocks on large wetlands, but they equally often occur on small ponds. They require submerged aquatic vegetation or mats of floating waterweed, among which they forage, diving below the surface for up to 20 seconds, or plucking the stems of emergent shoots.
I filmed this pair on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
