Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus

The Common Moorhen is the most common species in the rallidae family. This aesthetic bird has a wingspan of 21 inches and is approximately 10.5 inches long. The most prominent feature of an adult moorhen is its bright ruby-red and school-bus-yellow bill. This feature distinguishes it from many of its cousins such as the American Coot.  This tranquil bird has an outer shiny black coat of plumage with a milk white undercoat. A juvenile moorhen has a brown bill with a gray outer coat and a white under coat.

The Common Moorhen can be found on both the west and east coast of the United States. This polychromatic bird inhabits California, New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona in the west. In the east, the Common Moorhen inhabitants areas from Virginia, Florida, Minnesota, to New Brunswick. During the summer, the Common Moorhen migrates east. This bird is obviously well traveled! These aquatic birds can be found on every continent in the world with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. The Common Moorhen lives in a multitude of environments. They can be found in vast lakes, narrow canals, limpid ponds, and briny marshes.  The picturesque bird has adapted well to its environment, being able to live both in man-made or natural aquatic regions. The moorhen has long delicate toes that allow it to walk on floating vegetation as well as wet mud. This unique feature allows the moorhen to access lush and rich vegetation as a source of food and shelter.

Like any other animal, bird, or insect, the omnivorous Common Moorhen loves food. It primarily scavenges for seeds and floating vegetation. After searching for food on the surface of the water, the Common Moorhen dives below the pond, canal, or marsh and seeks fragile roots of aquatic vegetation. If vegetation is scarce, then the Common Moorhen waddles near shore to find juicy berries, crunchy insects, slimy worms, crisp grass, petite tadpoles, or even scaly fish.

The Common Moorhen breeds when both the male and female build a nest out of dead cattail, twigs, reeds, and bulrushes. This nest is constructed in a “bowl” manner and is located either on floating vegetation or on a nearby shore where water is easily accessible. The female moorhen then lays approximately 4-11 eggs (1 egg per day). After both the mother and father incubate the eggs for approximately 17-22 days, tiny little chicks hatch. Within a few days of hatching, the young chicks are ready to swim with their parents. Even though the chicks can swim by themselves, the adult moorhens still provide the young chicks with food until they are about three weeks old. At five weeks, the juvenile moorhens are independent. At seven weeks, the juvenile Moorhens are able to fly. The juvenile moorhens stay with their parents for few more weeks.

At Green Cay Nature Center, one can find a myriad of juvenile moorhens as well as adult moorhens splashing all around. There are approximately 300 Common Moorhens that inhabit Green Cay Nature Center wetlands. This sanctuary provides the moorhens with an abundance of food, shelter, and a home. See if you can spot the ruby- red and school -bus -yellow beak when you visit Green Cay Nature Center.

by Vishal Patel