Eurasian Coot

Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) is a dark slate waterbird with a white bill and frontal shield, red eyes and large lobed toes. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It swims, dives and grazes for aquatic plants and invertebrates on lakes and marshes, defending nesting territories vigorously. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).