Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) lives in freshwater wetlands across Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas. It feeds on insects and plants. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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A real field recording of the Common Moorhen, made in the wild.
In the Pacific nation of Palau the common moorhen is extremely scarce, with surveys recording fewer than one hundred adult individuals and usually spotting under fifty birds at a time. This tiny population mirrors the similarly low numbers found on nearby Guam, where fewer than one hundred adults have also been observed. Such limited counts make the species vulnerable on these islands despite its overall abundance elsewhere.
Common moorhens sometimes lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, a behaviour known as interspecific brood parasitism. Their eggs have been discovered in the nests of common coots, grey partridges, mallards and several other species, showing they do not target a single host. This strategy is used alongside intraspecific parasitism, which becomes more frequent when suitable nesting sites are scarce.
When danger approaches, juvenile moorhens cling tightly to a parent's body, allowing the adult to lift off and carry the offspring to safety. After the flight, the young remain attached until the threat passes, after which they are set down to continue developing. The chicks later fledge after forty to fifty days, become independent a few weeks later and may even breed the following spring.
The common moorhen was one of the two bird species used to first describe the cyclocoelid flatworm Cyclocoelum mutabile. The other species involved was the Eurasian coot, Fulica atra.
Abdul Hamid II kept more than fifty moorhens at his Yildiz Palace. They were recorded as being kept and raised there during his reign.
Sources
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In the quiet, secretive world of wetlands, the Common Moorhen moves with stealthy purpose, its dark, iridescent plumage blending seamlessly into the shadows as it navigates the tangled vegetation with ease. With a flick of its distinctive yellow-tipped bill, it probes the murky waters for hidden treasures, its bright, inquisitive eyes ever-vigilant for the slightest hint of danger. As it glides effortlessly across the water's surface, its long, slender legs tucked neatly beneath its body, the Moorhen embodies the very essence of adaptability and resilience.
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