Giant coot coot, the giant coot is monogamous and the pair builds a huge nest in a highland lake. However, unlike the horned coot, the nest of the giant coot is primarily made of aquatic vegetation and – as it is fiercely territorial – it never forms colonies. Giant coot The giant coot ("Fulica gigantea") is a species of coot from South America. It is found at lakes in the altiplano from central Peru, through western Bolivia, to north-eastern Chile and extreme north-western Argentina. With a total length of 48–64 cm (19–25 in), it is the second largest extant member of the
Chatham coot in weight. Apart from a disproportionately long neck, and long legs and toes, it was similar in shape to other coots and was probably able to fly. Its large salt glands indicate that it inhabited the brackish waters of Te Whanga Lagoon. The common occurrence of its bones in middens show that it was a frequent food item, with over-hunting the main cause of its extinction. Chatham coot The Chatham coot ("Fulica chathamensis"), also known as the Chatham Island coot, is an extinct bird in the rail family, Rallidae, that was endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand. It