Food and foraging of Coot Fulica atra on fish ponds during autumn migration

Abstract

The abundance of Coot Fulica atra on small fish ponds in Belgium increased from August to a maximum in October, after which a sharp decrease was recorded. Coot abundance varied between and within ponds, mainly related to foraging conditions. The proportion of birds foraging decreased during the course of the season and was affected by weather conditions. On two ponds, coot fed mainly on algae and Lemna. The depletion of these resources forced the Coot to shift to more energy-demanding foraging strategies, probably inducing at least part of them to switch to other areas. There were no indications of competitive interactions with Tufted Duck and Pochard.