Common Moorhen

Description: The common moorhen resembles the coot, though it is slightly smaller with a short tail and wings. It’s dark gray and brownish all over. The colorful bill is orange with a yellow tip and a shield that extends up the forehead. The underside of the tail and the wing tips are white, and the feet and legs are greenish-yellow. The sexes are similar in appearance. Average size: 12-14 inches. Average weight: 10-14 ounces.

Science: Birds breed in the southwestern United States, the eastern United States, and parts of Mexico. While they are usually solitary, they may gather in small flocks to migrate in early October. They winter on the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts, in much of the southwest, and in parts of Mexico. Their habitat is similar in all seasons. They prefer deep freshwater marshes and ponds with a mix of open water and dense vegetation. They eat the leaves, seeds, and stems of pond plants such as hydrilla, wild rice, and pondweed. They also occasionally eat larval aquatic insects. These birds are fairly vocal, emitting squawks and croaks. Their population is thought to be stable.

Hunting: Common moorhens are secretive and seldom seen in the open. They are mostly taken incidentally by hunters seeking waterfowl, but are sometimes hunted intentionally. Birds are not known to decoy. They are mostly pass-shot or jump shot. The eating quality is fair: the meat can be strong-tasting.