The Caribbean coot Fulica caribaea is a breeding resident on 15 islands in the Caribbean region. Formerly considered conspecific with American coot F. americana a reappraisal of its conservation status suggests it to be Vulnerable according to IUCN Red Listing threat criteria. Based on a study of 19 sites in the Netherlands Antilles and records of 49 sites (>5 ha) throughout its range I analyze the relationships between numbers of coots and wetland size and the relationships between wetland size, inclusion in the protected area network, and threats to the site and / or the coots. In the Netherlands Antilles there is no relationship between numbers of coots and wetland size, with some of the larger numbers (>200 birds) found on small (<20 ha) ponds. Throughout the Caribbean, protected sites tend to be smaller (median size 30 ha) than unprotected sites (400 ha) and there are significant size differences between threatened sites (drainage, reclamation, hunting), which tend to be large, and those site that are less threatened which tend to be small. While there is a need for field data from many parts of the species' range, it is clear that a successful conservation strategy needs to include education and increasing awareness about the plight of the Caribbean coot as well as an increase in active protection of both habitat and bird. The data from the Netherlands Antilles suggests that protection should not only focus on large wetlands but that protection and active management of a series of smaller ponds may provide a quick return on investment and allow a swift response to improve the status of the Caribbean coot.