Dusky moorhen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dusky moorhen |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Gallinula
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| Species: |
tenebrosa
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| Synonyms | |
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Gallinula haematopus Bonaparte, 1856 |
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The dusky moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa) is a cool water bird. It belongs to the rail family. This bird is one of eight types of moorhen still living today. You can find them in places like India, Australia, New Guinea, Borneo, and Indonesia.
People sometimes mix up the dusky moorhen with the purple swamphen or the Eurasian coot. This is because they look similar and live in the same areas. Dusky moorhens often share their homes with other birds from their family. These include the Tasmanian nativehen and the common moorhen.
Contents
What's in a Name? (Taxonomy)
A scientist named John Gould first described the dusky moorhen in 1846. He studied a bird skin found near the Murray River in South Australia. The name tenebrosa comes from a Latin word. It means "dark," which describes the bird's color.
There are three main types, or subspecies, of dusky moorhens. One type, frontata, lives in Borneo, the Sunda Islands, Timor, and western New Guinea. Another type, neumannii, is found in northern New Guinea. The last type, called the nominate subspecies, lives in Australia.
People also call this bird by other names. These include black gallinule, black moorhen, and waterhen.
What Does It Look Like? (Description)
The dusky moorhen is a medium-sized bird. It is a bit smaller than the purple swamphen. Birds in New Guinea are about 25 to 32 centimeters (10 to 12.5 inches) long. Australian birds are larger, at 34 to 38 centimeters (13.5 to 15 inches).
Adult males usually weigh about 570 grams (1.25 pounds). Females are a bit lighter, around 493 grams (1.1 pounds). Adult dusky moorhens are mostly dark grey-black. Their upper parts might look a bit browner.
They have a bright red shield on their forehead. Their beak is red with a yellow tip. This is similar to their relative, the common moorhen. However, dusky moorhens do not have a white stripe on their side. Their legs are orange-yellow, not just yellow. The Australian type of moorhen is bigger and lighter in color.
In autumn and winter, the red shield on the females and young males becomes duller. During the warmer breeding season, the shield gets brighter again for both sexes.
What Do They Eat? (Diet)
Dusky moorhens find food both on land and in the water. They eat seeds, tips of shrubs, and grasses. They also enjoy algae and fruits. Their diet includes snails, slugs, and other small creatures without backbones.
Sometimes, they will eat dead animals. They might also eat bread or droppings from other birds like gulls and ducks. Baby moorhens mostly eat worms and snails. As they grow, their parents give them more plants to eat.
What Do They Sound Like? (Voice)
When a dusky moorhen wants to protect its area, it makes a loud kurk or krik sound. This call can be repeated or run together, sounding like kurruk-uk. Other birds nearby will often join in. You can hear this call from over two kilometers (1.2 miles) away.
The birds also make short, sharp squawks and squeaks. These are alarm calls to warn others of danger. When swimming or cleaning themselves, they might make short, spaced-out noises.
Both male and female moorhens make a soft mewing sound. They also make a soft kook noise before and during courtship. Adult birds might hiss quietly if their eggs are disturbed.
Young chicks under three months old make a shrill piping noise. They do this when they are hungry or when an adult brings food. They also pipe if they get separated from their parents. Adults make short clicking noises when separated from chicks. The young birds respond with a series of whistles that go down in pitch.
Where Do They Live? (Distribution and Habitat)
You can find dusky moorhens in India, Australia, New Guinea, Borneo, and Indonesia. Sometimes, a few non-breeding birds might visit New Zealand. In Australia, they live across the eastern states. This includes Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. They are found as far north as Cooktown.
They also live in eastern South Australia and the southwestern tip of Western Australia. You can find them in parts of Tasmania and South Australia, but they are not as common there. They live in wildlife parks like Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. You can also see them at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens.
Dusky moorhens prefer wetland areas. They especially like freshwater marshes and swamps. They usually stay close to these watery places. You will rarely find them far from water, unless they are looking for food nearby. They also live in city parks like Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens. They are often seen in dams and along river banks.
These birds need open water. They also need some cover, like grass, reeds, or other plants. In southeast Queensland, they prefer areas with taller plants. They also like places with more water plants and more purple swamphens. This shows that food and other resources affect where they live. They usually live in low-lying areas. However, one pair was found high up in New Guinea, at 1,580 meters (5,180 feet). They were likely separated from their group.
Dusky moorhens do not usually travel long distances. They might stay in the same place for eight years or even longer. They might move to different spots if food becomes hard to find. Young birds leave their birthplaces in autumn and spring. They might be seen in places where adult birds usually do not go.
How Do They Behave? (Behaviour)
Dusky moorhens breed from August to January in southern Australia. They usually have one group of chicks. In the north, they breed from January to June and often have two groups of chicks.
This bird builds a large nest from reeds or grasses. The nest is usually at the water's edge or a few centimeters above the water. It is often built at the base of a Melaleuca tree. They lay 5 to 11 dull whitish eggs. These eggs are covered with red-brown dots and splotches. The eggs are oval-shaped, about 53 millimeters (2 inches) long and 36 millimeters (1.4 inches) wide. The markings are more noticeable at the wider end.
When breeding, they protect their territory. At other times, they like to be in groups. Dusky moorhens might even nest next to a purple swamphen.
Dusky moorhens are active during the day. At night, they rest alone, in breeding groups, or in non-breeding flocks. They sleep on platforms built in reeds above the water. They also sleep on branches over the water. Sometimes, they rest on the ground in the reeds. During the day, they rest in these spots. They might also sit on floating plants, rocks, logs, and on the banks. In hot weather, they might sit high up in trees.
Moorhens often flick their white and black tail. This might be a sign that they are alert. It could also show their social status, depending on the situation.
Various views and plumages
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mating
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Head and cere detail
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Beak and tongue detail
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Nesting
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Juvenile
See also
In Spanish: Gallineta enlutada para niños
