Coot Call MP3s
Realistic coot vocalizations for wetland shooters and waterfowlers who work coot rafts alongside duck decoys.
Also known as
Recordings (4)
About this species
The Coot (Fulica atra) is a secretive member of the rail family (Rallidae) of around 38 cm — sooty-black with a gleaming white bill and frontal shield, lobed toes trailing in flight. It is at home on open lakes, reservoirs and slow rivers with fringing vegetation.
It betrays itself with an explosive, metallic 'kowk' from cover. It dives for the roots, shoots and seeds of water plants, supplemented by small animals. Pugnacious and territorial, it dives constantly and charges rivals across the water. Secretive and largely nocturnal, it is far better known by its voice than its appearance across the wetlands of Europe.
Legal use
The Coot is a widespread, abundant waterbird and a recognized game species across much of its range: it is listed under Annex II of the EU Birds Directive and is legally hunted under regulated seasons in several EU countries (including France, Italy, and Spain), classed as quarry (Schedule 2) in Great Britain with a season typically running 1 September to 31 January, and treated as a migratory gamebird alongside rails and gallinules in the United States and Canada. Because bag limits, season dates, and licensing requirements differ by country and region — and coot's quarry status is itself under active review in parts of the UK (Wales has proposed removing it) — hunters must confirm current local rules before use. See our full country-by-country disclaimer for jurisdiction-specific detail.