Horned Coot
Fulica cornuta
Very large, but rather local coot; rare except at a few lakes in the high Andes set amid barren and rocky surroundings. Often far out on deep-water lakes, where it looks rather uneventful: black overall with a pale yellowish bill. Seen up close, note the bizarre, erectile black “horn” appendage covering the bill base. Juvenile is dark sooty gray with a whitish throat. Builds remarkable nest mounds of stones topped with weeds that look like the tips of huge underwater volcanoes and take months, if not years, to complete.
Identification
Horned coot males average a little larger than the female. With a total length of 46–62 cm (18–24 in) and a reported body mass from 1.6–2.29 kg (3.5–5.0 lb), it averages slightly smaller than the related giant coot as the second largest coot and the third largest extant species of rail.<p>While most coots have a horny shield on the forehead, the horned coot has three wattles in both sexes. The central wattle is large and may possibly be erectile. The three wattles terminate in tufts of filoplumes. At the base of the beak and below the wattle is a fleshy caruncle which is whitish. The bill is olive yellow, brightening to dull orange towards the base. Unlike the giant coot, the legs of the horned coot are dull greenish.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Fulica cornuta
- Authority
- Bonaparte, 1853
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Fulica
Range and habitat
The coot occurs in the altiplano of north-western Argentina, south-western Bolivia, and north-eastern Chile. It is almost entirely restricted to lakes at altitudes of 3000–5200 m.a.s.l., but has occasionally been recorded at lower altitudes.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
It is generally a low-density species and the total population has been estimated at 10,000–20,000, with as few as 620 in the Chilean part of its range. Consequently, it is considered to be near threatened by BirdLife International and IUCN.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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A large wader with a white body and bare black head and neck. Males and females look similar and both have grayish tail feathers. It probes into mud and shallow water with its long, down curved black bill, sometimes submerging its entire head. Found primarily around wetlands including agricultural fields and occasionally around coastal areas, but also seen foraging in dry fields and human-modified landscapes.
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