About the Red-gartered Coot
The red-gartered coot is a species of bird in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The red-gartered coot is 43 to 51 cm (17 to 20 in) long. The sexes are alike. Adults have a yellow bill and frontal shield with a patch of red between them. (The bill is sometimes reddish.) Their legs are orange-yellow to yellow with a pale red "garter" above the ankle. Their plumage is slaty gray that is blacker on the head and neck. Their undertail coverts are white. Immature birds have a paler bill than adults and olive legs and feet. Juveniles are drab gray-brown with dusky mottling on a white head and neck. Voice: Male red-gartered coots make a "whistled 'huit'" alarm call, in aggression "an explosive 'pit' and repeated 'wuw'", and when near a female a "repeated soft 'cuit'". The female's alarm call is "yec" and it also makes a "loud, repeated 'terr'."
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Falkland Islands.
When to see it
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
White-winged CootFulica leucopteraThe white-winged coot is 35 to 43 cm (14 to 17 in) long and weighs about 400 to 600 g (14 to 21 oz).
Red-fronted CootFulica rufifronsThe red-fronted coot is 38 to 43 cm (15 to 17 in) long.
Andean CootFulica ardesiacaThe Andean coot is 40 to 43 cm (16 to 17 in) long.
Side by side: American Coot vs Red-gartered Coot · Eurasian Coot vs Red-gartered Coot · Red-gartered Coot vs Red-knobbed Coot · Corn Crake vs Red-gartered Coot
Learn the Red-gartered Coot for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.