Moor Hen

The Moor Hen (Gallinula chloropus) is a relative of the coot but slightly smaller and not quite as common.

The moor hen is c. 30-35cm, dark with a white stripe along the sides. The beak is yellow/red with a large red spot above. The legs are yellow greenish with three long widely spread toes well adapted for walking in watery terrain. The young are brownish grey and lack the red spot above the beak.

The moor hen lives mostly in lakes and moorlands with dense vegetation, and the moor hen usually prefers to stay inside or at least close to the vegetation. It is quite shy.

When walking the moor hen bends the toes together before moving the foot forward, and opens it just before putting it to the ground. This is a behaviour adapted to living between the reeds, but it looks quite funny when it is walking on a lawn.

The moor hen sometimes make small shrill cries.