Common Moorhen or Common Gallinules
The Common Moorhen aka Common Gallinule (Gallinula chloropus) belongs to the rail family.
Distribution / Habitat:
Despite loss of habitat in parts of its range, this Moorhen remains common and widespread. In fact, they have a nearly worldwide distribution outside Australasia, and can also be found in desert, many tropical rainforest, and the polar regions. They will migrate to more temperate climates if conditions get unfavorable, such as if the bodies of water freeze over, hindering their foraging activities.
They prefer marshy environments and well-vegetated lakes.
Description:
Their plumage is dark apart from the white undertail, yellow legs and a red facial shield.
The young are browner and lack the red shield.
They make a wide range of gargling calls.
They are known to be shy, but can also become tame in some areas.
Diet:
This species will consume a wide variety of vegetable material and small aquatic creatures.
Breeding / Nesting:
They build a nest in the shape of a a roofed basket built on the ground in dense vegetation. The hen lays 8-12 eggs, which both parents incubate for about 3 weeks. The chicks are raised by both parents
Subspecies
About one dozen subspecies are today considered valid. Old World birds have a frontal shield with rounded top and fairly parallel sides, while American ones have a frontal shield that is less wide towards the bill and has a fairly straight top.
- Eurasian Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus chloropus: NW Europe to N Africa and eastwards to C Siberia, humid regions of southern Asia to Japan and C Malaysia. Also Sri Lanka and the Canary, Azores, and Cape Verde Islands. Includes proposed subspecies correiana and indica.
- Southern American Common Moorhen G. c. galeata: Trinidad, the Guyanas, and from Brazil south of the Amazonas to N Argentina and Uruguay. Wings and back fairly uniform dark brownish slate grey.
- Indo-Pacific Common Moorhen G. c. orientalis: Seychelles, Andaman Islands, S Malaysia through Indonesia. Also Philippines and Palau. Small, with slate grey upperwing coverts and large frontal shield.
- African Common Moorhen G. c. meridionalis: Sub-Saharan Africa and Saint Helna. As orientalis, but frontal shield smaller.
- Madagascan Common Moorhen G. c. pyrrhorrhoa: Madagascar, Réunion, Mauritius and the Comoros. Undertail coverts buff.
- Andean Common Moorhen G. c. garmani: Andes from Peru to NW Argentina. Like galeata but larger
- Hawaiian Moorhen or ‘alae ‘ula G. c. sandvicensis: Hawaiian Islands. Large frontal shield; tarsus reddish-orange in front.
- Antillean Common Moorhen G. c. cerceris: In the USA, Florida Gallinule. Antilles except Trinidad and Barbados, also S Florida. Long bill and large feet, less brown above.
- Northern American Common Moorhen or Common Gallinule G. c. cachinnans: SE Canada, USA except Great Plains region, south to W Panama. Also Galápagos and Bermuda. Like cerceris but upperparts coloration like chloropus.
- Subandean Common Moorhen G. c. pauxilla: Lowland areas of E Panama south to NW Peru. AS cerceris but smaller.
- Mariana Moorhen G. c. guami: Northern Mariana Islands. Body plumage very dark.
- Barbados Moorhen G. c. barbadensis : Barbados. Like cerceris, but lighter head and neck, less dull grey overall.
Relevant Web Resources: USGS
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