I was out taking photos of ducks when this group swam up. What are they?




I assume these mallards are the same as the North American variety. Anybody know?

They are.

And the black with white face birds are...?

That's "fulica atra".
Sorry don't know the english name.

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
And the black with white face birds are...?

Eurasian coots.

With the Latin (thanks Caracal) I was able to find the French name as well: foulque macroule.

Beautiful Pics.

First pic is Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) along with chicks. Coots are vicious with their brood, they will actually kill the chics if there is not enough food in the area they are raising them in. May sound brutal, but then the remaining chics can survive, propagation of species. Amazing that these things can count.

MALLARD:
New World (North American) Mallard is slightly larger in size than the Old World (Eurasian) Mallard. Species is the same. Even sub-species is the same, but there is a slight difference in size.

quote:

Originally posted by collector:
First pic is Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) along with chicks. Coots are vicious with their brood, they will actually kill the chics if there is not enough food in the area they are raising them in. May sound brutal, but then the remaining chics can survive, propagation of species. Amazing that these things can count.

Its not just their own young they will kill. They relish killing other ducklings and chicks.I won't tollerate them on any of our ponds during the spring.

Jools, thanks for the update on Coot behavior. I did not realize they were doing that to other species as well. In North American Continent they raise their young in Canada, so we do not get to witness their habits throughout the year.

Got another bird ID question. Sorry about the poor photograph, but this bird flew into our yard and starting eating the petals on my wife's flowers (which immediately created a hate relationship), and I've never seen anything like it before.

Wink that is a EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (Carduelis carduelis)....hope this helps



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quote:

Originally posted by collector:
Jools, thanks for the update on Coot behavior. I did not realize they were doing that to other species as well. In North American Continent they raise their young in Canada, so we do not get to witness their habits throughout the year.

They are an obnoxious bird. IMO

Doing more harm than good. Even my ferrets refuse to eat them.

Coot gizard salad is pretty good, other than than they are pretty useless except for dog training...

quote:

Originally posted by collector:
Wink that is a EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (Carduelis carduelis)....hope this helps



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Thanks. I informed my wife but she is somehow indifferent after watching the Goldfinch eat her flowers.

Ha ha ha....I am sure she will forgive them someday. You can possibly leave out a feeder next to the flowers, hopefully then birds will leave the flowers alone.

Interesting to read about coot behaviour. Here in NZ we have the Pukeko, our native moorhen. They are viscious killers. We live on a 1 acre property surrounded by larger 20 to 50 acre rural blocks. We used to raise about 40 bantams and 40 Kakhi Campbell ducks - free range. When they had chicks and ducklings, the Pukeko would hammer them along the fence line!

@Nakihunter
Thanks for your insight...Coots, Gallinules, Swamphens are part of the same family (Rallidae) so although worlds apart, the behavior among them is quite common.

Here is my Pukeko (Purple Swamphen) from South Island of New Zealand which I hunted near Wanaka.


It was the biggest swamp bird in my collection until I got the Giant Coot high up in the Andes mountains of South America.
2.5 Pukekos = 1 Giant Coot...those things are massive.

Goldfinches like other seed eating birds provide a useful propagation service in the wild.


Agree re coots, bastard of an animal.

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