Common Moorhen

Gallinula chloropus Order: GRUIFORMES Family: Rails and Coots (Rallidae)
Common Moorhen Portrait
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General

Common Moorhen: Medium-sized, chicken-like marsh bird with gray-brown back and slate-gray head, neck, breast, and belly. Upper flanks show distinct white line. Yellow-tipped red bill is short with red frontal plate extending onto forehead. Tail is white below divided by gray line. Long legs and unwebbed feet are yellow-green. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is paler gray with white throat and gray bill.

Range and Habitat

Common Moorhen: Breeds over much of North America through Central America and northern South America. Spends winters from the southern Atlantic states to South America. Prefers habitat with large areas of open water; common near reservoirs, ponds, freshwater marshes, and flooded grasslands.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"kup"

Interesting Facts

 The Common Moorhen is also called Common Gallinule or Florida Gallinule. It has been nicknamed swamp chicken.

 It is often visually and vocally confused with the American Coot. It is easily distinguished by the red shield-like plate above its bill.

 Despite lacking either webbed or lobed feet, the Common Moorhen is an excellent swimmer.

 A group of moorhens are collectively known as a "plump" of moorhens.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Common Moorhen

Related Birds

Green Heron
Pied-billed Grebe
American Coot
Purple Gallinule
Sora
King Rail
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Family Coot (Rallidae)_blue
Species Gallinula chloropus
Length13 - 15 Inches
Wingspan21.5 Inches

Common Moorhen

Common Moorhen: Medium, chicken-like marsh bird with gray-brown back and slate-gray head, neck, breast, and belly. Upper flanks show distinct white line. Yellow-tipped red bill is short with red frontal plate extending onto forehead. Tail is white below. Long legs and unwebbed feet are yellow-green.

● Song: "kup"

● Foraging & Feeding: Common Moorhen: Feeds on freshwater plants, seeds, and small invertebrates. Forages while swimming or and walking in shallows or atop floating vegetation; active day and night. Swallows sand and gravel to help grind food.

● Breeding & nesting: Common Moorhen: Two to thirteen buff eggs with red brown or olive spots are laid in a well-rimmed cup nest constructed of dead vegetation and lined with grass and leaves. Nest is usually located over the water and anchored to stems of emergent vegetation, but is occasionally built on the ground or in a low shrub. Both parents incubate the eggs for 18 to 21 days.

● Similar species: Common Moorhen: American Coot is darker, has pale bill, and lacks white line on flanks.

Flight Pattern

Swift strong direct flight.
Common Moorhen Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Common Moorhen: Breeds over much of North America through Central America and northern South America. Spends winters from the southern Atlantic states to South America. Prefers habitat with large areas of open water; common near reservoirs, ponds, freshwater marshes, and flooded grasslands.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary to semicolonial
Population
MigrationSome migrate
Weight12 Ounces