Eurasian Coot, Early Morning, Victoria, Australia

(Click image to enlarge)

I captured this photograph early one morning on a mostly clear day before the coot and its immediate surroundings were in the direct sunlight. The bright eastern horizon and soft light reflected from the sky and water evenly illuminated the coot without any harsh shadows.

The coot had been facing slightly away from the camera, but fortunately turned its head slightly toward me for a nice pose. That put the side of its head in shadow. Due to the soft nature of the light, there is still plenty of shadow detail in the darkest areas. That would not be the case if there was direct sunlight on the bird.

Eurasian Coots feed mainly on aquatic vegetation that they dive underwater to find. They can completely squeeze the air out from between their feathers, enabling them to dive for up to 15 seconds to depths of up to 7 meters (23 feet). Coots also graze in pastures or lawns near the water, and they occassioanlly supplement their diet with worms, insects and fish.