Fulica cristata (Red-knobbed coot)

Fulica cristata
Other Names

English Crested Coot French Foulque à crête, Foulque caronculée German Kammbäßhuhn Spanish Focha Moruna Swedish Kamsothöna Dutch Knobbelmeerkoet Italian Folaga cornuta, Folaga crestata

World: Southern Spain, northern Morocco, East Africa and the southern part of the continent from Angola and Zaire through to S Africa, also Madagascar.

Kenya: Common on open water, mostly confined to the West. Rare on the coast and absent from the arid desert regions.

A gregarious bird which can be seen in extremely large numbers (groups of 1,000+ have been recorded) outside the breeding season. During the breeding season the adults develop 2 dark red knobs at the top of the frontal shield. Outside the breeding season these are reduced in size and not as brightly coloured (as can be seen in the picture above).