Australasian Coot
Large Facial Shield
Murray Mallee Region
Dusky Moorhen
Parent Feeding Chick
 
                      
Australasian Coot (Fulica atra ssp australis)Class: Animals (Animalia) - Chordates (Chordata) - Birds (Aves)
Order: Cranes (Gruiformes)
Family: Rails (Rallidae)     iNaturalist Observation
Species: Australasian Coot (Fulica atra ssp australis)
This Photo:     Lobed Feet

Thank you Geoffrey Cox for confirming the id of this species for us

General Species Information:
Found in the Murray Mallee SA, Adelaide Hills and possibly elsewhere
According to Piotr Minias, in his Oct 2014 study, gender differentiation using the size of the frontal shield is only ~70% accurate.
Eurasian Coots have lobed feet, not webbed. The lobes, or flaps, fold easily; probably making it easy to 'swim' through water with lots of vegetation.

Copyright © 2010-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 13-Mar-2010
This species is classed as NT (Near Threatened) in the Murray Mallee, SA, by DENR (Regional Species Status Assessments, July 2010)