Purple coot, a bird that avoids the destruction of wetlands, attacks by cats and dogs, and being run over on its way from the coast to Quito

Until the 1940s, Quito had wetlands in what was the great lagoon of La Carolina, what is now known as La Carolina Park, and swamps in the Turubamba sector, which is currently the south of the capital. These areas served as feeding and resting places for the purple coots (porphyrio martinique) that migrate from the Coast to the Sierra between the months of December and April.

However, these wetlands were dried up (disappearance or transformation of these areas that compromises the supply of environmental services they provide) to give way to uncontrolled urban expansion. Since the purple coots no longer have a place to feed and rest, they end up extremely exhausted, which causes them to perch in the gardens of houses or in parks.

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When people see a bird the size of a chicken and purple in color that does not move or does it slowly, they try to manipulate it in some cases. In other situations, the reaction is aggressive and they end up hurting the coot, says Diego Cisneros, general director of the Tueri Wildlife Hospital. This is why Cisneros has worked on a guide, which is shared on social networks, so that people know what to do when they see these birds.

“I published this guide because there are certain times, from January to April, when a lot of these birds arrive at the hospital. Some arrive very dehydrated, others bruised, others just needed to rest“, He says.

The guide also helps you know when the coot needs medical attention. If the bird is alert, flies well, and has no fractures or injuries, then it should be kept away from cats and dogs and the garden should be a safe space for it to stay calm until it continues on its journey.

But if it is exhausted, cannot fly, has collided with a window or is in an unsafe place, the guide recommends that it must be placed, very carefully, in a clean cardboard box with holes for air circulation. Then put the box in a safe place, away from pets and where the sun shines directly, explain to the family the importance of not disturbing the bird and place a container with water inside the box so that the coot does not dehydrate.

Finally call the Environmental Police, through ECU911, to take the bird or if you are in Quito you can communicate directly with the Tueri hospital.

Seeing that they cannot get food in Quito and its surroundings, the coots undertake the return trip to the coast. The problem is that they don’t have areas to rest either. In urban and rural areas they are run over by vehicles.

Another of the serious problems they also face is the large number of dogs and cats in bad handling situations, since they attack or kill them. In addition, their natural habitats on the Coast have also been reduced or disappeared, especially in Guayaquil and Milagro.

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“In the valley of Quito there is no natural wetland, lagoon, swamp. Carchi has lagoons, Imbabura also has, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo the same, but Quito has nothing”, affirms Cisneros.

The birds that arrive in the capital are quite young. In Ecuador there is still no information about the complex processes of their migrations. With the little information that is available, compiled by citizen groups such as Aves Ecuador, Aves Quito and also with data from the Tueri hospital, it has been possible to detect seasonality in the capital in the first months of the year.

The Ecuadorian Zoological Foundation has also received purple coots for rehabilitation. The birds have been taken by the Environmental Police: “Environmental conditions, the need to feed, cool off and the fatigue involved in their journey cause the birds to descend to land to rest,” the institution says. According to the National Bird List, purple coots are in the category of least concern. (YO)