Page 160 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

RAILS, CRAKES,AND COOTS
Order Gruiformes Family Rallidae Species Gallinula chloropus
Moorhen brown dull greenish
yellow bill
red eye
body
slate-grey
head
ADULT rich brown
back
JUVENILE
bright red bill
with yellow tip
green
legs slate-grey underside
diagonal white stripe
bold white glossy
IN FLIGHT patch under long green toes plumage
tail

ADULT

bird of the water’s edge and
Anearby marshy ground, rather than
open water, the Moorhen is widespread and surprisingly common
in many areas as it can occupy anything from a wet ditch to a large ADULT
lake. Small, loose groups move slowly, feeding on damp meadows,
running to cover if disturbed, and even breaking into brief flight.
Only rarely is a Moorhen seen way out on open water, looking a FLIGHT: low, fluttery, with long legs trailing; often
little uncomfortable (unlike the Coot) in such an exposed situation. scutters over water to nearest cover.
VOICE Loud, sudden, throaty or metallic notes from cover, kurruk
or kittik, high kik, stuttering kik-kikikikik-ik.
NESTING Shallow bowl of
leaves and stems, in vegetation
from low reeds to high in trees
but usually just above water,
often in fallen or drooping
branch; 5–11 eggs; 2 or 3
broods;April–August.
FEEDING Picks up seeds, fruit,
shoots, roots, snails, insects, and FIGHTING FRENZY
occasionally eggs, from damp Moorhens fight furiously in the breeding season, kicking with OCCURRENCE
ground or shallows. their feet; females fight over males. Widespread except in Iceland and
N Scandinavia; in summer only in
SIMILAR SPECIES N and E Europe. Breeds on small
ponds with overgrown margins or
long, slim overhanging branches; found in
bill
slate-black ditches, rivers, ponds, lakes, and
body reservoirs of all kinds. Feeds in
round-
backed small groups, on open, wet, grassy
ground, even in hedges, usually
CLIMBER near water.
Moorhens are surprisingly agile,
WATER RAIL COOT climbing trees and dense Seen in the UK
see p.156 see p.159 white bill J F M A M JJ A S O N D
hedgerow bushes.
Length 32–35cm (12 1 ⁄2 –14in) Wingspan 50–55cm (20–22in) Weight 250–420g (9–15oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 15 years Status Secure
158