Hawaiian Coot

Fulica alai

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About the Hawaiian Coot

The ʻAlae keʻokeʻo (Fulica alai), also known as the Hawaiian coot in English, is a bird in the rail family, Rallidae, that is endemic to Hawaii. In Hawaiian, ʻalae is a noun and means mud hen. Keʻo is an adjective for clear or white. It is similar to the American coot at 33–40.6 cm (13–16 in) in length and weighing around 700 g (1 lb 9 oz). It has black plumage and a prominent white frontal shield. Its natural habitats are freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, coastal saline lagoons, and water storage areas. The bird was federally listed in October 1970 as an endangered species and is considered both endemic and endangered by the state of Hawaiʻi. It is threatened by habitat loss and introduced predators such as the small Asian mongoose.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name: Fulica alai
Family: Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
Order: Gruiformes

Similar species

Other members of the rails, gallinules, and coots family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

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