Eurasian Coot

A rounded waterbird with a conspicuous white forehead shield.

A recording has not been added yet. Use the identification notes below for now.

I know this bird · Record a sighting Where to look & how to find it ↓

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Start close to home

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go: All year; additional autumn and winter visitors
Where to start: Public lakeside viewpoints and wetland reserves overlooking open water.
What to do when you arrive: Look on open water for rounded black birds with white bills and frontal shields. Watch natural swimming and diving without feeding them closer.

Habitat and behaviour reference: BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

SPECIES NOTESSpecies notes

How to identify it

Adults are slate-black with a white bill and forehead shield and lobed toes. Juveniles have paler faces and breasts and smaller shields. Lacks Moorhen's white flank stripe.

Habitat

Freshwater lakes, ponds, slow rivers and some sheltered bays.

Behaviour

Dives for aquatic plants and invertebrates and defends territories during breeding.

When to look

All year; additional autumn and winter visitors

Where to look

Public lakeside viewpoints and wetland reserves overlooking open water.

Reference photos do not show every sex, age, season or geographic form; use the identification notes too.

Further reading:BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · BTO · Coot and Moorhen ↗ · Wikipedia ↗

COMMUNITY SIGHTINGS

Recent encounters

1 public sightings

ceclinux photographedEurasian Coot — **ceclinux**@ceclinux

2026-09-26