Giant Coot
| Giant Coot | |
|---|---|
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Gruiformes |
| Family: | Rallidae |
| Genus: | Fulica |
| Species: | F. gigantea |
| Binomial name | |
| Fulica gigantea Eydoux & Souleyet, 1841 |
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The Giant Coot (Fulica gigantea) is a species of bird found at lakes in the altiplano from central Peru, through western Bolivia, to north-eastern Chile and extreme north-western Argentina. With a total length of 48–64 cm (19–25 in),[2] it is the second largest extant member of the Rallidae family, after the Takahe, and adults are considered functionally flightless.[3] It is the only coot with reddish legs.[2] 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]
As in the related Horned Coot, the Giant Coot is monogamous. Giant Coot pairs build large nests near highland lakes. 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]
[edit] References
- ^ BirdLife International (2008). Fulica gigantea. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 22 May 2009.
- ^ a b Jaramillo, A. Burke, P., & Beadle, D. (2003). Birds of Chile. Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-4688-8
- ^ a b 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
- ^ Taylor, Barry, Rails: A Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World. Yale University Press (1998), ISBN 978-0300077582.
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