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Moorhen Gallinula chloropus [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Gruiformes
Family:
Rallidae
BTO Codes:
MH , MOORH
EURING No:
4240
Number in Britain:
240 thousand territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
GREEN
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
View video clips from
IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Resident Breeder, Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
chloropus recorded in Britain (of 12 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
34 cm
Wingspan:
52 cm
Weight:
M/F: 320 g
Scientific name from:
L.: gallinula =a little hen
and Gr.: khloros =green + pous =foot
World Distribution:
Europe, Asia & Americas
Habitat:
Marsh, reedbed, small lakes
Diet:
Omnivorous, feeds whil swimming or walking on floating vegettaion or land (esp damp meadows)
TitBit:
The Moorhen is one of only two British birds which breed co-operatively, with older young birds helping their parents raise subsequent offspring
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends:
England  
English Regions
Distribution:
Atlas Maps
(Help with the New Atlas )
BBS Maps
British Population Size:
Summer:
240 thousand territories
in 1988-91
Winter:
750 thousand individuals
in 1981-84
Note: Best estimate
 
First Record:
10th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Middle Pleistocene, c. 500,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Ponds
Also common in:
Along Rivers
And found in:
Lakes
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
830 thousand to 1.6 million pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(II), WBD(II*), Bern(III)
Survey Results:
BirdTrack
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
43 x 31 mm
Egg Weight:
22.3 g (of which 8 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
473
Clutch Size:
5 - 7 eggs
6.28 ± 1.80 (2 - 13) N = 3263
Incubation:
20 - 22 days
20.10 ± 1.57 (17 - 23) N = 3263
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
53 - 56 days
54.09 ± 2.73 (53 - 58) N = 2273
as:
Precocial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
2
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
547
Adult Survival:
0.623
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
3
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
11yr3m
(Denmark: 18yr 7m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
F*
Wing Length
Adult:
182.4 ± 8.7
Range
170 - 195 mm, N =1192
Juvenile:
179.2 ± 11.1
166 - 192 mm, N =570
Male:
187.8 ± 5.8
179 - 198 mm, N =523
Female:
174.2 ± 5.2
167 - 182 mm, N =252
Weight
Adult:
356.4 ± 68.08
Range
243.0 - 460.0 g , N =591
Juvenile:
318.3 ± 70.30
200.0 - 439.0 g , N =309
Male:
373.6 ± 64.83
243.0 - 465.0 g , N =295
Female:
319.0 ± 56.05 .
235.0 - 407.0 g , N =114
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Common Moorhen
Gaelic:
Cearc-uisge
Welsh:
Iâr Ddwr
Danish:
Grønbenet rørhøne
Dutch:
Waterhoen
Finnish:
Liejukana
French:
Poule d'eau
German:
Teichhuhn
Hungarian:
Vízityúk
Icelandic:
Sefhæna
Irish:
Cearc Uisce
Italian:
Gallinella d’acqua
Norwegian:
Sivhøne
Polish:
Kokoszka zwyczajna
Portuguese:
Galinha-d'água
Spanish:
Polla de agua
Swedish:
Rörhöna
Local Names: Waterhen
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Taylor, B. & van Perlo, B. 1998 Rails Pica Press, Sussex
[598.554 TAY]
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus
BirdFacts home | BTO Home Email: birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as: Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.22, Oct 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)
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