Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus (Linnaeus,1758))
Scientific name: Gallinula chloropus (Linnaeus,1758)
Common name: Common Moorhen
French name: Gallinule poule-d'eau
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Size: 32 to 35 cm, 260 to 370 g for the female, 250 to 400 g for the male.
Habitat: Small lakes, ponds with dense vegetation.
Food: Water plants, grass, leaves, molluscs, insects, worms, sometimes fishes and tadpoles.
Nesting: There are 2 or 3 clutches of 5 to 8 eggs between April and July. The nest often built on the ground. This can be a high basket using an old nest of another species.
Migration: Northern populations move towards south in winter.
Geographic area: America, the Caribbean's, Europe, Africa including Madagascar, Southern Asia and some Islands in the Pacific ocean.
The Common Moorhen is a very shy bird, hidden in the dense aquatic vegetation. But you can also observe it walking on the grass near water.
It bears a red frontal shield and a red bill with a yellow tip.
Feathers are dark blue to black. The wings are brownish and there is a white patch under the tail. Legs are yellowish-green and not webbed.
The Common moorhen chicks have a patch of red skin on top of the head.
Young birds from the first brood are used to helping their parents to grow the chicks of the following broods.

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Yvelines, France - September 13th 2007
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Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Common Moorhens are always observed near aquatic vegetation.


Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Yvelines, France - April 4th 2006
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Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
There is no need to hide for long time to take pictures of Common Moorhen.
You just need to quietly walk along the ponds and to not to wait too long to take the picture.


Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Yvelines, France - June 10th 2008
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Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
As they are used to seeing people, Common Moorhens do not hurry to swim to their hiding-place.


Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Yvelines, France - March 18th 2008
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Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
There is no need to use image cropping when you are able to get so close.


Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Yvelines, France - June 16th 2009
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Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
This is nest is built among the vegetation bordering the pond, over water.


Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Saône-et-Loire, France - July 28th 2007
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Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
It's always very nice to observe chicks.
These chicks do not pay any attention to me, the adults are hidden under the vegetation of the other bank.


Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Saône-et-Loire, France - July 28th 2007
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Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
After having wait a few minutes hidden behind a clump of high grasses, one parent came back to take care of the chicks.


Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Yvelines, France - July 24th 2008
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Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Here is an older juvenile.

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