ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Common Moorhen

 Common Moorhen

Common Moorhen
Photo by Richard Day/Daybreak Imagery 		This species was long known as the "common gallinule." The calls of the common moorhen are similar to that of the American coot, which can be found in the same marshy areas.


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Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus

At-a-Glance

• Incubation: 19-22 days

• Clutch Size: 5-17 eggs

• Young Fledge: 40-50 days after hatching

• Typical Foods: vegetation and aquatic invertebrates

• Ohio Status: Species of Concern 
Description
This marsh bird looks somewhat duck-like and tends to bob its head constantly when swimming. It is slate-gray in color, with a conspicuous red frontal shield and yellow-tipped bill. The feathers under the tail are white.

Habitat and Habits
The cacophony created by moorhens really enlivens the summer marsh - they create loud chicken-like clucking and various hoarse and strangled screams. Often, their presence in a large marsh may go unnoticed until a moorhen sounds off, which then often inspires a surprising number of others to join in.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
Common moorhen courtship behavior is unlike that of most water birds. Instead of the males competing for females, female moorhens compete for the males. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the young.