Geographical adaptation: The fresh new Australian coot (Fulica atra australis) off Australia, This new Guinea and you can New Zealand try good subspecies of the Eurasian coot, that is widespread inside European countries, Northern Africa and Asia.
- Types Recommendations
- Breeding and ecology
The latest Australian coot is a sensible, dark-grey, duck-such as for example waterbird, immediately recognisable from the white colored bill and you may frontal shield. Coots is actually pertaining to gallinules – the part of the rail nearest and dearest filled with pukeko and you will takahe. Out of the water, a great coot’s position is much more eg a small pukeko than just a duck. But instead of your own pukeko’s a lot of time narrow leg, coots enjoys wider fleshy lobes on the brief base, always provide propulsion when diving. The Australian coot was a current arrival in the New Zealand, first registered reproduction within 1958. The colonisation partially fills the niche remaining bare from the extinction of your New Zealand coot, that has been common before the arrival out of Maori.
Mature Australian coots are completely slate-gray having a white costs and front protect. He’s red-colored sight and large gray base which have lobed feet. Juvenile and you will younger birds features duller and paler colouring, which includes soft gray into chin and you may lips. He’s brownish vision and you will quicker frontal protects. Coots are hardly seen in journey, in which it range from scaup in that their feet path behind its tails in flight.
Similar species: The fresh new Zealand scaup possess comparable human body size, shape, colouration and you may plunge behavior, however, differ in the that have a blue-gray bill and no frontal secure, and additionally males possess a yellow eye, and you will lady usually have light in the expenses ft (cf. blackish facial feathers from inside the coots).
Coots achieved The new Zealand on of several times in advance of they depending, that have at the very least 9 facts regarding the South Island anywhere between 1875 (Lovells Flat, Otago) and you can 1957 (Heathcote Lake, Christchurch), through to the earliest egg and you may girls was indeed viewed during the Lake Hayes in the November 1958
Australian coots are located throughout mainland The new Zealand besides Northland, however, you can find pair parts of the country where he is plentiful. Coots are completely marine, and there is large places which do not enjoys the well-known freshwater ponds and you will lakes that have submerged flowers and you will reedy, grassy islands otherwise sides.
Unmarried coots, probably the same bird, possess taken place while the vagrants for the Stewart Island (). Coots reach Macquarie Island Island twice, that have at the least seven birds in may-Oct 1957, and one in the June-Oct 1975.
The new Australian coot try a subspecies of the Eurasian coot one to self-brought to the New Zealand out of Australia throughout the 20th century, and you will was submitted breeding inside The latest Zealand toward River Hayes, Otago from inside the 1958. There have been on the dos,one hundred thousand coots projected to-be contained in This new Zealand from inside the 2005.
The initial North Isle checklist is at River Tutira, Hawkes Bay during the 1954. There can be an influx from coots into the otherwise prior to 1957, plus they easily dependent as a breeding species.
Because a personal-produced types, Australian coots was automatically covered by the fresh new Wildlife Work, and are fully protected. He’s well-established in The fresh new Zealand, without accepted dangers.
The newest Australian coot types ranging from September and you may February which will be very territorial during this time period. It reproduce because monogamous sets, often raising dos broods a year. About three to help you 5 eggs, lotion having age spots, is placed in the a floating nest out-of branches and you may plant life secured to help you branches otherwise reeds. The whole family category will remains together with her until the 2nd spring.
Sexes are the exact same
Coots is the very marine members of the brand new railway relatives, and so are reduced enigmatic than simply other rails. Although they perform graze to your small turf, it spend most of their amount of time in water, bobbing the minds because they move and and work out brief dives after a little give diving. When worried they find defense one of emergent plants on the water unlike traveling out. They appear to travel unwillingly from the h2o, pattering along the body with lots of splashing just before finally removing otherwise repaying an additional area. But not, he could be solid fliers frequently layer highest ranges, usually in the evening. These flights and you can changes from area don’t appear to be seasonal. High flocks off coots may means pursuing the breeding 12 months.