These familiar black birds on our canals might look like the coot, but are distinguished by their red beaks and yellow legs.
Moorhens have a bright red frontal shield on their foreheads.
Moorhen facts
Scientific name: Gallinula chloropus
Family: Rallidae
Diet: Water plants, seeds, fruit, grass, insects, snails, worms and fish
Predators: Small mammals, like domesticated cats, foxes and mink
Size: 32-35cm with a 50-55cm wingspan
Weight: 250-400g
Lifespan: Three years
About moorhens
The moorhen is a widespread water bird, hiding within vegetation on canals, lakes, reservoirs, ponds and rivers. While unsuited for swimming, the moorhen’s long toes and unwebbed feet make it a strong runner, capable of climbing tree branches to roost.
The name ‘moorhen’ derives from ‘mere hen’, meaning a bird of shallow waters. Moorhens also go by ‘skitty coot’, ‘marsh hen’ and the ‘common gallinule’.
Moorhens and our canals
Moorhens are a common sight on our canals. See if you can spot its untidy nest by the water’s edge or watch the moorhens search for food among the vegetation. Unlike coots, moorhens spend more of their time out of the water and can even climb trees.
With black bodies, red and yellow beaks, yellow-green legs, and large chicken feet, moorhens are distinctive birds on our canals. Up close, their black plumage is actually dark brown with a blue-black underside and white stripes. They also have white patches under the tail, which, like the red bill, separates the moorhen from the coot.
The red-orange bill with a yellow tip indicates how healthy the individual is. The brighter the colours, the more attractive the moorhen is to mates.
A moorhen with its long legs, large feet, black plumage with a white stripe, and red and yellow bill stands on the towpath.
What do moorhens eat?
Moorhens are omnivores, meaning they eat anything from water plants and grass to small fish, insects and snails. Unlike coots, who dive for their food, moorhens mostly forage in the water or at the edge.
How do moorhens breed?
Known for their polyamorous – and sometimes incestuous – mating behaviour, moorhens form fluid pairings. In the spring, males approach females with their bills in the water and the two nibble at each other before building a nest together.
While moorhens guard their nests ferociously, females have a habit of laying her eggs in others’ nests, including coot nests. Rather than risk harming her own brood, mother moorhens often accept the intruding eggs. Young moorhens sometimes help care for and feed the next generation of chicks.
Moorhens can kill their own young when facing a food shortage.
Where do moorhens live?
Moorhens are widespread across our network, throughout towns and countryside. They’re less common in upland areas. Moorhens build their nests on the ground next to water, using dead vegetation and sticks, and are easy to spot.
Moorhens are a common sight on our waterways. Look for the red bill and white stripes to differentiate it from the coot. Listen out for their explosive call, sounding somewhat like an unexpected laugh.
What’s the difference between a moorhen and a coot?
While moorhens have orange-red bills with a distinctive yellow tip, coots have a dirty white with a more prominent frontal shield. Coots have lobed feet and are slightly bigger than moorhens.
