Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus· 秧鸡科(1 photos)
Common Moorhen
30 - 38 cm. Distinguished from closely-related Dusky Moorhen by strong white line along flanks, entirely green legs. Dusky Moorhen has no white along flanks (occasionally shows traces of white) and orange-red legs and feet.
- Other name
- Eurasian Moorhen.
- Voice
- Contact call a loud single 'krrrrik', 'kurrr-ik' and 'kurk', sometimes repeated or run-together. Similar to that of Dusky Moorhen, but is more trilled (rolled ?r?).
- Habitat
- Any fresh, permanent or emphemeral, natural or artificial bodies of water with plant cover; occasionally brackish water. Avoids very open sites.
- Range & Status
- Global temperate and tropical regions except Australasia; ranges thought to be sympatric with Dusky Moorhen in parts of Wallacia. Very rare vagrant to Australian territory: 1 record of adult and juvenile on Cocos (Keeling) Is in 2009.
