Re: [tied] Birds (was Horse words)

 

Marc Verhaegen wrote:

 
 "Coot" may indeed be imitative, as the coot produces a variety of calls including a resonant and querulous /kut/. The Brythonic etymology would refer to the coot's short tail; the main drawback is that the Dutch word is difficult to explain (why should the Dutch have imported it from across the Channel?). ... Piotr Several marine terms in English are from Dutch origin, and a lot of English words are of Low Dutch origin (medieval), so why not coot? Marc

 I believe that it is probably imatative.  Many birds are named for the most common call that they make.
                                                    Steve