Common Moorhen

Description:

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) and Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) in a territorial dispute over a fishing area. The Common Moorhen is victorious.

Habitat:

Wetlands: Anhinga Trail, Everglades National Park, Florida.

Notes:

The Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) (also known as the "swamp chicken") is a bird in the Rallidae family with an almost worldwide distribution. The North and South American Committees of the American Ornithologists' Union and the International Ornithological Committee have voted on or before July 2011 to split the American forms into a new species Common Gallinule, and implemented that decision; however, no other committee has voted to change taxonomy yet. The Common Moorhen lives around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals and other wetlands. The species is not found in the polar regions, or many tropical rainforests. Elsewhere it is likely the most common rail species, except for the Eurasian Coot or American Coot in some regions. The Moorhen is a distinctive species, with dark plumage apart from the white undertail, yellow legs and a red facial shield. The young are browner and lack the red shield. It has a wide range of gargling calls and will emit loud hisses when threatened. A mid-to-large sized rail, it can range from 30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 in) in length and span 50 to 62 cm (20 to 24 in) across the wings. The body mass of this species can range from 192 to 500 g (6.8 to 18 oz). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) is a "swamp hen" in the rail family Rallidae. Also known locally as the Yellow-legged Gallinule. This is a medium-sized rail, measuring 26–37 cm (10–15 in) in length, spanning 50–61 cm (20–24 in) across the wings and weighing 141–305 g (5.0–10.8 oz). Males, averaging 257 g (9.1 oz) in mass, are slightly larger than females, at 215 g (7.6 oz) on average. The adult Purple gallinule has big yellow feet, purple-blue plumage with a green back, and red and yellow bill. It has a pale blue forehead shield and white undertail. Darkness or low light can dim the bright purple-blue plumage of the adult to make them look dusky or brownish, although the forehead shield color differentiates them from similar species such as Common Gallinules. (Credit Wikipedia)