Common moorhen

Moorhens receive their name from the old English word moor, which refers to the swamps where these birds have lived for years. They are shy duck-like birds which are yet well-known in public parks.

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Gruiformes

Family: Rallidae

Genus: Gallinula

Species: Chloropus

Common moorhens live in marshes, swamps, and around ponds most of the time, but they may also live in public parks in flocks when they are not breeding. In these flocks, they establish a "pecking order," in which the older, larger, stronger birds are dominant. Dominance is decided partly by the size of the bright red shield on the moorhens' foreheads above their red, yellow-tipped bills.

Adult common moorhens are up to 1 4/5 to 15 inches (30 to 38 centimeters) long and weigh between 6 4/5 and 17 1/2 ounces (192 to 500 grams). Their plumage, or feathering, is mostly black with dark brown tinges. The undersides of their tails are white, as are the single stripes on either side of their bodies.

The moorhens have large feet with claws for moving easily over the wet, muddy, marshy ground. In these surroundings, they wade or swim to feed mainly on rushes, duckweed, and the fruit of water lilies. Berries, such as blackberries, elderberries, and yew berries, are popular items that the birds pluck from thin branches. Their long toes and claws help them grasp the branches. They may also find seeds and grains. A smaller portion of their diets is insects and invertebrates, or creatures without backbones, like worms, slugs, snails, and insect larvae. The moorhens may also eat the eggs and young of other bird species.

If threatened or disturbed, moorhens run to the water. Some younger birds may dive and swim underwater, but older birds cannot dive. The birds' natural predators include snakes, large frogs, raccoons, alligators, and foxes.

Populations of Common moorhen living in areas that reach freezing temperatures migrate in the winter to warmer climates. Some travel great distances across the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert. They reach their top speed at 22 miles (35 kilometers) per hour.

The breeding season depends on the climate, but generally, moorhens breed from March to May. Although they are social birds during the rest of the year, during the breeding season, they are aggressive and defend their nests. They may display their red face shields, puffed plumage, and raised wings. This display leads into the bird's swimming in circles and showing its white tail patch. If threatened, the moorhen may make a running attack across the water's surface, with its wings and legs beating the water.

Once a male and female come together, they build several platforms among the reeds and choose one on which to build their nest. They both build the nest from reeds, plants, flowers, and paper. They may pull nearby vegetation down to form a canopy, or covering, over the nest. The female lays a clutch, or batch, of 2 to 12 eggs, though they average 9 eggs. The male and female take turns incubating the eggs for three weeks, keeping the eggs warm with their bodies. The chicks have black downy feathers with bare pink patches on the tops of their heads. At first, their bills are red, but they become yellow and remain this color until they are nearly one year old. The chicks can swim, and their parents carry them to the water in their bills soon after hatching. The chicks can feed themselves in three weeks and can fly after 42 to 70 days. Moorhen chicks are able to mate when they are one year old.

Most common moorhens die in their first year and many die in the second year. On average, moorhens live between 1 to 3 years, but in captivity, some reports claim their lifespans may reach 10 years.

Bibliography

"Gallinula Chloropus." Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Gallinula‗chloropus. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024.

"Moorhen." A-Z Animals, 16 Feb. 2021, a-z-animals.com/animals/moorhen. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024.