Our article will tell about unusual birds - coots. Today, these creatures have been sufficiently studied by ornithologists, but many ordinary people who are interested in wildlife do not know much about them. Meanwhile, the study of the habits of coot birds may be of interest to hunters. Yes, and naturalists who love to observe beautiful living creatures will surely like the nimble bird with an unusual “hairstyle”.
Classification
These birds belong to the shepherd family. Sultans, moorhens and corncrakes are their closest relatives. Coots not only look like moorhens, they also have similar behavior in their natural habitat. In addition, representatives of these genera living in the same territory sometimes create pairs in which viable offspring can even be born. The main difference is that coots lead an aquatic lifestyle. Other genera belonging to the family spend most of their time on land and not in water.
Many are wondering what kind of birds the coot belongs to - duck or chicken? From afar, it really can be mistaken for a duck. Representatives of many species are of medium size, the same asin ducks, and the silhouettes of birds floating on the water are very similar. They can really be confused. However, it is worth looking at a photo of a coot bird taken from a short distance, it becomes clear that its beak is not at all like a duck.
The people of these birds are often called Lyska and water hens. A. Brem mentions damn chickens, referring to coots. In the old days, researchers attributed these birds to chickens, but further study showed that the differences are too significant. It was found that chickens are not related to these birds. But there are common roots with cranes.
Coot bird species
The description of these creatures should be supplemented with a list of species included in the family. These include the following:
- crested coot;
- common coot;
- Hawaiian;
- Andean;
- American;
- West Indian;
- yellow-billed;
- white-winged;
- red-fronted;
- giant;
- horned coot.
Scientists know another species - the Mascarene coot. This bird lived on the islands of Reunion and Mauritius. But uncontrolled hunting and the drying up of the swamps that these birds inhabited did their dirty deed. The species has completely disappeared from the face of the Earth. The latest information about the Mascarene coot dates back to the beginning of the 18th century.
The appearance of bald birds
Representatives of different species, including the extinct one, are similar to each other. The largest is the giant coot, it is so massive that it cannot fly.
For what I receivedyour name is a coot bird? Photo and description give the answer to this question. On the head of the members of the family there is a plaque devoid of feathers. Some species also have outgrowths. For example, in a horned one they have the shape of small horns. By color, this speck can be white, beige, light gray. The red-faced one, as you might guess, is red.
These birds weigh about a kilogram. And their average size is 40-45 cm.
Pay attention to the beaks of these birds. They are thin and sharp, designed to capture food rather than filter out water like a duck. The eyes are small and keen.
Coots have relatively small wings, but most species are excellent flyers. Good flyers, judging by the habitat on the two neighboring islands, were the extinct Mascarene coots. Modern coots are forced to make frequent short wing beats, but this allows them to spend quite a long time in flight and travel considerable distances. These birds take off without running away in advance, and when landing, they practically do not slow down.
Giant coots can fly in their youth, and even then not far and low. With age, the skill is lost due to build.
The paws deserve special mention. Coots are large. There are no partitions, as in other waterfowl, for example, ducks and swans. But on the fingers there are skin folds that open in the water, increasing the resistance. On land, these folds do not interfere with walking, like membranes, thanks to which the birds move quickly and nimbly.
Coot habitat
South America has become a real haven for this kind. Seven out of eleven species live on this mainland. Their habitat includes Chile, Paraguay, Ecuador, Argentina, Peru. The West Indian coot lives in Venezuela and the Caribbean.
Outside the center of species diversity, you can meet the American coot. It predominantly inhabits North America. Hawaiian settles only in this archipelago (it is endemic). Crested coots live in Africa and some regions of Spain.
The distribution range of common coots is unprecedentedly wide: it covers almost the entire Eurasia. These birds can be found from the Atlantic to the Pacific; from Scandinavia, the Kola and Karelian peninsulas to Bangladesh and India. Representatives of this species are found in northern Africa, New Zealand and Australia, Java, Papua New Guinea, the Canary Islands.
All southern coot species are sedentary, while temperate populations are migratory. Asian birds migrate to Pakistan and Southeast Asia. Coots inhabiting Europe fly away for the winter to the southern coast of the mainland to the Mediterranean, to northern Africa.
Crimean secrets of coots
Until recently among ornithologists there were disputes about the wintering of these birds in the Crimea. Photos of coot birds taken in the coastal waters of the peninsula are few, but still available. In 1983, a monograph by the famous Crimean researcher Yu. V. Kostin was published, into which he refers to "partially wintering birds". In winter, the waters of the southern coast of Crimea are not warm enough for coots and they have to look for more favorable places.
Sailors report another interesting fact. They met huge armadas of coots swimming towards the Danube Delta. It's amazing that great fliers swim the way, isn't it? Answering this question, scientists mention the corncrake, which, having grown fat in the fall and gained significant weight, sets off for the winter on foot. Given the relationship that exists between these birds, it can be assumed that for coots such behavior should not be considered nonsense. In addition, it is easier for coots to hide in the water in case of danger. Having dived, they can grab underwater plants with their beaks and stay in shelter for a long time. Perhaps on a long journey, this helps the birds avoid unpleasant encounters with natural enemies.
It is worth noting that this behavior is not typical for all varieties of coots. Even not all birds of the same species prefer to swim to wintering grounds.
Paradoxes of navigation
The longer scientists study these birds, the more amazing facts are revealed to them. Coots have been found to migrate along absolutely straight paths. Most migratory birds choose routes that are curved to take into account natural obstacles and resting areas. But coots are used to acting differently.
Due to such straightforwardness, coots sometimes literally skid the wrong way. They can stop at bodies of water where no one has ever seen them. ornithologistsIt is believed that this behavior of coot birds is due to their very mediocre navigational abilities. However, it was this fact that allowed them to spread so widely around the planet, occupying even remote oceanic archipelagos. Having gone astray, flocks of coots gradually switched to a settled life, finally settling on isolated islands. Presumably, some species formed this way.
Struggle for land
The habitats of all species of coots are the same. These birds inhabit the banks of rivers, lakes, estuaries with steep banks overgrown with reeds. During periods of migration and wintering, these birds can be found directly on the shores of the seas and oceans, where they forage in vast expanses of water. However, they do not build nests in open places.
Coots settle in pairs. The male and female remain faithful to each other for many years, but their strong couples sometimes still part.
Like their crane relatives, coots take their territories seriously. Their couples are engaged not only in each other and offspring, but also constantly fight abroad. Neighbors are booked in. It is noteworthy that each of both partners has their own "corner", to which even the spouse is not allowed.
In the spring there is an active struggle for the distribution of plots. During this period, fights are not uncommon, in which three or five birds get involved at once. The ways of fighting these birds are peculiar. They stay in the water almost vertically and maintain balance with the help of wings. Birds fight with free paws.
At the same time, birds often make loud sounds, reminiscent of “quack-quack”. Buttheir calls are not like ducks, they have more abruptness.
Food
The diet of coots is based on young shoots of aquatic plants and their seeds. From time to time they catch small fish, crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic insects.
Coots are not a timid bird. They often form mixed flocks, living and hunting together with other waterfowl, such as swans. Together they forage by swimming or moving on their paws in shallow water. In the water, birds can tip over and make lightning-fast throws into the water to a depth of one and a half meters. Coots can also hunt on the shore, simply collecting living creatures from grass, stones and soil.
On this diet, coots accumulate enough fat to make long flights.
Nest building and breeding
Nesting takes place once a year, after the flight. Mating games begin with joint swimming, while future partners tirelessly attack everyone who is nearby. The defiantly aggressive part is replaced by the time of gentle courtship.
The coot's nest is made on a floating platform of reed stalks. The bottom of the nest is located above the surface of the water and does not come into contact with the soil. Birds line it with damp plant stalks, which dry to form a perfectly smooth surface.
Horned coots are the only species that doesn't squabble with their neighbors. These birds themselves create the necessary landscape. They throw small stones into the water anda nest is built at the top of the formed hill. One such island can weigh up to one and a half tons. Giant coots act in much the same way. True, they do not create islands, but rafts with a diameter of up to 4 m. One raft can withstand the weight of an adult.
Care for offspring
The appearance of chicks is another interesting fact that you should know about coot birds. The photos of their babies are impressive. They look like a cross between a vulture, a rambutan fruit, and a dandelion flower. Immediately after birth, their future bald head is still covered with fluff.
The clutch can be from 4 to 15 eggs. It depends on the yield of the year. If the eggs die, the female is able to make a second and even a third. If the members of the population failed to win back their territory and build a nest, they can throw eggs to their fellows.
Hatching is mainly done by the female, but the male helps his girlfriend. Incubation takes 3 weeks. At first, the chicks are helpless, on the first day they gain strength, but already on the second day they are able to stomp after their mother. For another 2 weeks, their parents feed them by putting food directly into their beaks.
Youth becomes on the wing in 2-2, 5 months. And sexual maturity comes almost in a year - by the next season.
Natural enemies
Common coots are a common species. They are hunted by eagles, otters, marsh harriers, minks. Nests are often destroyed by large birds of prey, wild boars, foxes. This species often becomes an object of hunting. Due to high fecundity, the population is quickly recovering.
Butsome species, such as the Hawaiian coot, need protection. They are under guard.
Coot meat in cooking
Every hunter has his own recipes. But there are general principles governing how to cook a coot bird.
From the bird, you should immediately remove the skin along with feathers. This is conveniently done by cutting the skin around the neck in a circle.
Next, it is necessary to separate the thighs from the carcass and cut off the fillet part of the breast along with the wings. The backbone is not cooked along with the meat, because the kidneys and lungs that sit tightly on its lower surface have an unpleasant taste. As you can see, the coot is a bird whose preparation has its own subtleties.
With one bird you can get about 400 g of meat. It is stewed, fried, boiled, baked in the oven. Gourmet lovers prefer to pre-marinate the meat in a mixture of water, fruit vinegar and wine. It is advisable to s alt the coot meat after a golden crust has formed.
