Birds of the month
Head outside and discover fascinating birds each month. Read on for top ID tips, what to listen for, and where to see them.
Birds and wildlife
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusGroup: Rails, crakes and cootsUK Conservation status:Not assessed
How to identify
Moorhens are blackish with a red and yellow beak and green legs. Seen closer-up, they have a dark brown back and wings and a more bluish-black belly, with white stripes on the flanks.Call
Moorhen
Patrik Åberg / xeno-canto
Conservation status
Amber-listed. There have been no recorded changes in UK breeding birds, but overwintering populations (including migrants from Europe) have declined.
Where and when to see them
Difficulty rating - Easy
Moorhens are one of the UK’s most widespread birds and can be found almost anywhere there is water. Take a stroll along a canal, stream or park pond.
Key
- Resident
- Passage
- Summer
- Winter
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Behaviour
Their bill, bright red with a yellow tip, makes them an easy species to recognise – although they are a nervous bird and will often try to disappear when spotted. You might catch sight of a Moorhen as it quickly scuttles away onto land or see a quick glimpse before it vanishes into reeds. Watch out for them flicking their white undertail as a signal to predators not to waste their energy, as they’re ready to make a speedy getaway!