Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 3,900,000 - 8,100,000 (2010).
Status LC
Predation by the American Mink and susceptibility to avian influenza and botulism are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and plant material. Also eggs of other birds.
Voice
Varied and loud calls including a harsh 'krreck and a rhythmic 'kipp kipp kipp'.
Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) [XC872796]
by Martin Billard from Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France (call, flight call, nocturnal flight call)
Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) [XC810280]
by Rostyslav Romanyshyn from Tianlin Community, Shanghai, China (call, flight call, nocturnal flight call)
Nest
An untidy cup of leaves and stems, either near water or a floating platform.
Eggs (Guide)
5 - 9; glossy, pale buff, with red-brown spots and blotches. Incubation: 20 - 21 days.
Subspecies
Sometimes considered conspecific with Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa), or to form superspecies, but the two are sympatric in Wallacea. Many other subspecies described. Possible subspecies correiana and indica included in nominate.
The following 12 subspecies are recognised:
chloropus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Europe, North Africa, Azores, Canaries and Cape Verde Is east through west, central and southern Asia to Japan, south to Sri Lanka and central Malaysia; northern populations winter south to Mediterranean region, sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia.
meridionalis (Brehm, CL, 1831) - Sub-Saharan Africa and St Helena.
pyrrhorrhoa Newton, A, 1861 - Madagascar, Reunion, Mauritius and Comoros Is.
orientalis Horsfield, 1821 - Seychelles, Andamans, southern Malaysia and Greater and western Lesser Sundas to Philippines and Palau Is.
guami Hartert, 1917 - Northern Mariana Is.
sandvicensis Streets, 1877 - Hawaiian Is. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata).
cachinnans Bangs, 1915 - South-eastern Canada and USA through Central America to western Panama, also Bermuda and Galapagos; northern populations winter south to Panama and possibly beyond. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata).
cerceris Bangs, 1910 - Greater and Lesser Antilles. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata).
barbadensis Bond, 1954 - Barbados. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata).
pauxilla Bangs, 1915 - Eastern Panama, northern and western Colombia, western Ecuador and coastal north-western Peru. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata).
garmani Allen, 1876 - Andes of Peru, Chile, Bolivia and north-western Argentina. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata).
galeata (Lichtenstein, 1818) - Trinidad and the Guianas south through Brazil to northern Argentina and Uruguay. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata).
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7
BirdLife International Species Factsheet