Eurasian CootScientific name: Fulica atra

Meaning of name: Fulica is Latin for coot. Atra is derived from the Latin word ater, meaning black.

Aboriginal name: Kidjibroon (kitch’ee’broon).

Distribution: Found across most of Australia but largely absent from the eastern parts of Western Australia. The Eurasian Coot is also found throughout Europe and Asia.

Description: The Eurasian Coot can be up to 39cm long with a 64cm wingspan.

Notes: The furthest distance recorded by the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme for this species of bird to travel is 797km. The oldest bird recorded was still alive when its band was read in February 1973, 7 years 2 months after being banded (information as at 15 June 2012).

References: Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Various contributors.
What Bird is That? Neville W Cayley. 1978

Aboriginal names of bird species in south-west Western Australia, with suggestions for their adoption into common usage. Ian Abbott. 2009. Conservation Science Western Australia Journal. Volume 7 No 2  http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/about-us/science-and-research/76-publications-and-resources/103-conservation-science-wa-journal 

Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/science/abbbs/abbbs-search.html