Overview
These rails are mostly brown and black with some white markings in plumage colour. They have short rounded wings and are weak fliers, although usually capable of covering long distances. Moorhens can walk very well on their strong legs, and have long toes that are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Bird
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Gallinula
- Species
- chloropus
Habitat
Unlike many of the rails they are usually easy to see, feeding in open water margins rather than hidden in reedbeds.
Diet
These birds are omnivorous, consuming plant material, small rodents, amphibians and eggs.
Behavior
They are aggressively territorial during the breeding season, but are otherwise often found in sizeable flocks on the shallow vegetated lakes they prefer.
Hunting
More information needed.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.