| Sitemap List of birds on this site List of plants on this site List of animals on this site My homepage |
|
Common
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Tiong Air (Malay) The Common Moorhen is a handsome black water bird with a distinctive red frontal shield. These amusing birds are a delight to observe as they busily go about their daily routine. Common Moorhens are omnivorous and feed on freshwater plants, seeds and small invertebrates (molluscs, insects and larvae). They swallow a lot of sand and gravel, perhaps to help them grind up their food. They are active both in the day and at night.  Although Common Moorhens do not have webbed feet (they have long toes like other Rails), they swim well, sometimes in fairly large groups. |
|
||||||
And
Common Moorhens like to swim more than other Rails. On the water, they move
in a characteristic "clockwork" manner: head bobbing and tail
flicking. From behind, they show two large white oval patches. While swimming,
they may dip their heads underwater. Sometimes, they up-end completely in
order to reach some titbit deep in the water. They also forage on land,
grazing on grass, but keeping near cover. They peck as they walk, with a
high-stepping gait, constantly flicking their tails. Unlike other rails, they fly well, which probably accounts for their wide distribution. When alarmed on water, they patter on the water surface before taking off.
Common Moorhens are rarely far from water and prefer freshwater habitats with still or slow-moving water with floating plants and reedbeds. In Singapore, they are common near reservoirs, ponds, marshes and flooded grasslands. Those which are used to people are less shy, but usually, they will run, fly or swim away into cover.
Breeding:
Common Moorhens in our region appear to breed year-round. The
male courts both on land and water; by fanning his tails and offering water
weeds to the female in his bill to the accompaniment of loud chuckles. They
form strong pair bonds. They are territorial during breeding and perform
interesting displays to defend their territories. One display is to flash
their white under tail coverts at each other. Common Moorhens usually nest in reedbeds, 15-30cm above the waterline, and even on floating waterplants (e.g., water hyacinth). Their cup-shaped nests (15cm x 15cm) are made of twigs, lined with leaves. Or they may form a mound by piling up aquatic plants. James Audubon describes the nest as being made "more with labour than art".
Usually 6, up to 10, eggs are laid. These are creamy white with blood red spots and scribbling. Both parents incubate for 19-22 days. The chicks are black with a reddish head and for the first 2-3 days, are fed at the nest, with insects, spiders, small molluscs. They can swim soon after hatching and spend most of the time swimming with their parents, but keeping close to concealing cover. The chicks grow rapidly. The parents may raise more than one brood in a season, using the same nest after making some repairs. Sometimes, older juveniles from an earlier brood may help the parents to raise the chicks.
Migration: Some northern Common Moorhen populations migrate, but those in Singapore are mostly breeding residents. Common Moorhens quickly colonise suitable habitats.
Status and threats: Although Common Moorhens are not seriously threatened and are relatively widespread, they will be affected by destruction and poisoning of their preferred habitat.
LINKS
- Mourne Game and Wildfowl Conservation Association: fact sheet on breeding, diet and distribution.
- Birds of Slovenia: fact sheet on with sounds and photos.
- A replica of the complete John James Audubon's Birds of America (1840-1844) On a website by creative multimedia corp: fact sheet with full text, color plates, figures and bird calls.
- Birds of India on Yatraindia website: fact sheet.
| To
buy these references & others, visit Nature's Niche |
- Morten Strange, "A Photographic Guide to Birds of Malaysia and Singapore: including Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Borneo", Periplus, 2000 (p. 98: description, voice, habits, distribution, status, photo).
- David R Wells, "The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 1 (Non-Passarines)", Academic Press, 1999 (p. 207-208: identification, distribution map, habits, habitat, migration, conservation).
- Lim Kim Seng, "Pocket Checklist of the Birds of the Republic of Singapore", Nature Society (Singapore), 1999 (Abundance, status, Chinese and Malay names).
- Lim Kim Seng and Dana Gardner, "Birds: An Illustrated Field Guide to the Birds of Singapore", Sun Tree Publishing Ltd., 1997 (p. 51: identification, status in Singapore, distribution, diagram, number of species).
- Christopher Hails, "Birds of Singapore" illustrated by Frank Jarvis, Times Editions, 1987 reprinted 1995 (p. 66: habits, description, status in Singapore, and lovely drawings of the birds).
- G W H Davison and Chew Yen Fook, "A Photographic Guide to Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore", New Holland Publishers Ltd., 1995 (p. 30: identification, status in Singapore, distribution, photo).
- Morten Strange and Allen Jeyarajasingam, "Birds: A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore", Sun Tree Publishing, 1993 (p. 79: description, distribution, habits, habitat, photo).
- G C Madoc, "An Introduction to Malayan Birds", Malayan Nature Society, 1947 (p. 27: description, habitat).