Things you need to know about MOORHENS!

With their slate grey backs, yellow tipped red beaks and oversized yellow legs, Moorhens are an easily identified bird of Europe, southern Asia and some parts of Africa. Alongside their obvious markings they also have a white strip along each side, white undersides to their tail and a red band at the top of each leg. They grow to weigh around 350grams and have a wingspan of just over 50cm.
Moorhens are sometimes also known as waterhens or swamp chickens and both names are fairly suitable. They are almost always seen on or near to fresh and brackish waterways. Despite not having webbed feet, they are fairly accomplished swimmers and are capable of diving beneath the surface to avoid danger or in search of food. Most of the time their food comes from on top of the water or close to the waters edge. This includes snails, insects and fish but also berries, grain and apparently mixed bird seed.
Moorhens begin nesting from mid march when a pair will begin constructing several nests amongst waterside vegetation and occasionally in branches that overhang the water. These nests are made out of twigs and grasses and once complete the female choses one within which to lay her eggs. For the first nesting attempt she will lay from 5 to 8 eggs that are cream with dark splotches and measure around 43mm in length. Both parents incubate the eggs for 3 weeks until the chicks hatch out. At first they are covered in a layer of black down apart from the tops of their heads and their wings which are fluffless. They are precocial which means they can leave the nest almost straight after hatching. Their parents keep a close eye on them and bring them food whilst also showing them what to eat for themselves. After 3 weeks the young are able to find most of their own food and after 7 weeks they are capable of flight and in theory could leave their parents territory to start their own lives. However, this isn’t what happens. Instead of the teenage birds leaving, they stay in their parents territory and help them to rear their next batch of offspring. And if that wasn’t complicated enough, studies have shown that sometimes moorhens exhibit cooperative breeding where multiple females will pair up with one male and rear all of their eggs and young together. In most years moorhens will have 2 clutches of eggs but if the weather is suitable of if their nesting attempts fail early, they can attempt a third clutch.
Moorhens have a couple of interesting ways of showing how fit they are. For example, their constantly flicking tail is thought to be a sign to predators that they are alert and active and research has shown that the birds that flick their tails more often are actually the healthier individuals. When it comes to showing how fit they are to one another, this is where the moorhens brightly coloured beak comes into play. It takes a lot of energy to maintain these colours and exposes the animal to more risk of predation so the birds with the most vibrant colours are showing themselves to be in great condition to potential mates and competition.
Moorhens in the UK usually don’t migrate and remain in their territories throughout the year but in the winter they are joined by migrant birds from northern Europe who have migrated to our shores to escape the harshest weather in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. Their numbers across Europe have remained fairly stable since 1980 but in the UK they have dropped quite significantly. There are currently around 540,000 moorhens in the country.
They have an average lifespan of 3 years but oldest known bird died in 2020 just short of its 12th birthday at 11 years, 11 months and 27 days old.
#birds #nature #britishwildlife
Some of the footage and images in this video were obtained using creative commons licences. Here are the originals and licence details:
• Gallinula chloropus ne...
• Some Cold Moorhens and...
• Gallinule poule-d'eau ...
• Juvenile moorhen
• Moorhen display
• Ultra Cute Baby Moorhens
• Moorhens fighting
• Moorhens feeding on le...
• Pair of Moorhens allop...
• Moorhen rearranging st...
• Raptor chick with larg...
• Gallinula Chloropus
• A Beautiful Swamphen n...
• Moorhens foraging and ...
• Moorhens at WWT London...
• Moorhens in Hitchin - ...
• Common moorhen
• Juvenile Moorhens in H...
• 紅冠水雞/Common Moorhen
• Gallineta (Gallinula c...
• Common Moorhen - Galli...
• Gallinula chloropus ju...
• Gallinula chloropus ju...
egg image by steve p2008 is marked with CC BY 2.0.
Thumbnail: i0.hippopx.com/photos/554/166...

[@paulannable3734]

Again with the astonishment. I’ve seen Moorhens for decades, never really noticed the constantly flicking tail. These films are great!

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Great, I'm glad you learned something new. Cheers!

[@loneerv]

I had a pet Moorhen growing up in Puerto Rico. My grandfather got it from A flea market and gave it to me for no reason. I loved that bird! No idea how it got to PR, but it’s an awesome bird. Every time I got home from school, it would do its call, a loud chirp-like sound. I would go to the cage, open it and it would fly up on my shoulder, along with my parrot 😅. I miss that bird

[@TheWizardOfTheFens]

We are lucky enough to have a small lake on our property that has two small islands. Both of these are populated by moorhens. We often see them up in our garden feasting on chicken corn that our hens leave. They are great to watch. Last year we also discovered that we have a pair of Reed warblers too!

[@lochlainnmacneill2870]

The Scottish Jacobite rebellion song "My Bonnie Moorhen" was the code word for "Bonnie Prince Charlie" and is famed in that song of the same name.

[@TravelHungryForLife]

Awesome channel here my friend well done See you again all the best stay safe and healthy 👍

[@char1737]

I never knew about them ! Now I'm full of so much excitement to the Morehen I flooded my basement

[@ThedawnchorusPlot]

Very interesting, many thanks for sharing kind regards alan……………. THE DAWN CHORUS PLOT 🌿

[@anthonymctigue9038]

GOOD MAN GREAT VIDEOS LEARNED ALOT ABOUT BIRDS THATS AROUND HERE BEST OF LUCK FROM WEST OF IRELAND

[@daveyjones18]

After I've been ground down all day, and I flick on the telly and see the state of the world, a simple "shot of wildlife" is all I need to cheer me up. Thanks mate 😎

[@Tom-zq7lu]

Ok, very very good ok 👉💯🤔👍

[@Radagast-]

Moorhen than your average hen. We had one as a pet, when I was a kid. Someone brought us an abandoned chick. We raised it, and took it to local lake regularly in an effort to release it. Eventually it realized that it was a moorhen, and refused to come back to us.

[@JacqJansen]

Thanks. I’ve learned something about the moorhens. Greetings

[@arcticwarbler9299]

This was so interesting! Those incredible feet even give them traction on ice. Thanks so much.

[@grindelston5968]

Lol those feet are massive on the younger ones!

[@bobholyoake8577]

I love your videos of these beautiful wildlife it helps me with my mental illness 🎯💯🙏

[@gerardcagney1578]

Excellent

[@daftphil9706]

Awesome video. We have a couple of pairs on the basingstoke canal. I had seen them nesting, and today I say the chicks. So cute.

[@illiteratethug3305]

Nice to finally learn something about these guys, been feeding them for years now and its tricky making sure they get something before the mallards and geese hover it all up.

[@MegaVector2011]

Just discovered this channel and it will be my new KZbin obsession. Really interesting stuff and brilliant footage & editing. Thanks for uploading. Liked and subscribed!

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Cheers Bob. I hope you continue to find it interesting and entertaining :)

[@jaehaerys48]

Great video, and a lovely bird. I am always happy to see these lesser-appreciated, more "normal" animals get some attention.

[@lynnelovesroses4485]

I live in a very arable area on a hill with no known water around. I have had 3 moorhens visiting the bird feeders for a second year but in this year's very hot spell, 2 of them have found my birdbath. They visit multiple times a day and splash around and drink. Love their visits.

[@AShotOfWildlife]

How great that they found your garden food supply and now visit for daily baths to. You are providing a great service to them and I hope you enjoy their visits.

[@grindelston5968]

I love the relaxing music you put in your videos, but it would be nice to hear what the birds call is like as well. Just for a few seconds or so. Cheers m8!

[@rishabhwatts1676]

Thanks for the video! The German for Moorhen is Sumpfhuhn which can be translated as swamp chicken

[@xuejuansu8502]

Subscribed and liked.

[@charlesbarbour2331]

Your best yet Liam!

[@kaytagney702]

Thanks for another very interesting video Liam! 😊

[@zigzaglychee7324]

I just moved to an area with a big lake and I'm really enjoying the water birds. The moorhens here are the bravest I've ever met, though still pretty shy compared to ducks or geese. One came up and pecked my bag charm earlier to see what it was. I was also really surprised to hear one hiss/growl at a big duck! They're brave little things when they want to be. They'll have no problem dashing into a crowd of bigger birds to snatch food and run off with it. And I've learned that much like actual chickens, they love bananas.

[@garypritchard3446]

I love your vids and slowly but surely I will watch them all. I used to be a member of the RSPB but due to an accident couldn't afford it anymore. BUT I have had a small inheritance and are going to join again. Keep up the good work

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

I don't think I've ever seen a moorhen in flight. Never really thought about that until now.

[@SkylarkFields]

More great facts and video! I've never noticed the red at the top of their legs so I've learned something else new! I have never seen one on a bird feeder before either - that made me smile!

[@macroandnatureworld-gdoremi]

Interesting information , thanks for sharing

[@sarahboakes6392]

Thank you 😊

[@JohnzzzView]

Amazing attention to detail Greg and I love the brilliant footage too. Thanks so much for these videos.

[@jessegee179]

Love moorhens, learnt a few things today, thank you for the info 👍

[@lozzieelizadesigns05]

I love the moorhens we get in Australia, we get maybe 12 Dusky moorhens around our dam in nsw but we used to get Swamp hens

[@ttxela]

Thanks Liam, another great video 👍 Of course we often see Moorhens while out on the Kayaks on the river.

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Cheers! I'll do great crested grebes at some point as well, I suspect you might see them occasionally on the rivers?

[@eddiek0507]

Interesting facts about the Moorhen. I watched some chicks the other year, jumping from a nest at the top of a "Weeping Willow" tree. Apparently if the area they nest in has lots of danger, they resort to building their nest high up...🙂👍🏻

[@HelenaMikas]

That was wonderful to watch and loved the info .Moorhens are amazing as are Coots and those amazing feet always look good.How often do you upload a video ? They are so well edited .Have an enjoyable weekend .Helena :)👍

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Thanks Helena. I aim for one video a week as it does take some time to get the footage together, write and record the script etc and I have a full time job as well lol. I'm glad you like the video and have a great weekend too!

[@HelenaMikas]

@@AShotOfWildlife That is mind blowing and as the saying goes . "I take my hat off to you ". All your videos are terrific ..Hope you get good weather .for a well deserved weekend .:)

[@markmattocks3174]

I have two that come up on to my deck, and yes they come up to eat the mixed bird seed, starting to get used to me walking onto the deck and filling the seed tray.

[@Kimjongil.]

Very interesting as per usual 👏

[@mbarker1958]

Your videos and info are really good Liam, please keep on doing this. What about coots next?

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Cheers Mark. I hadn't considered doing coots to be honest but I'll add them to my list now. I think the next video might be Badgers or another mammal :)

[@NaturalBiotopes]

👀👍

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Cheers!

[@FeraForus]

Really great video! I saw a moorhen climbing a tree for the first time the other day and uploaded a video of it to my channel. I didn't realise they did that until I saw it. Looking forward to what you cover next.

[@AmyCHollingworth]

Lovely video :) can’t believe they have such a short lifespan. Also I don’t understand how they don’t trip over their own feet all the time like I do.

[@geraldhills41]

My Gran's house was next to a really deep ditch and had moorhens swimming about !

[@chrissyjones169]

Can you tell the deference between male and female. Great video. Thanks

[@ansiedadazul4901]

Spanish Subs, Please! Thanks for this videos

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Lol. I don't speak Spanish though.

[@EdMcF1]

There is a pub in Stanhope, Weardale called 'The Bonny Moorhen'.

[@flyby2300]

You have great enthusiasm; also great camera-work; BUT please be a role-model & refrain from dropping consonants (ie. dropped consonants in this video).

[@stefanjarvis4387]

I was looking up in my French dictionary Poule d’eau and then looked up the English translation “moorhen” and found your video

[@peartreeproductions1993]

So they can fly? Haha. Never seen them fly. Climb, jump sprint yea. Very nervous things. Here in Selsey and they're on the stream. They seem to disappear late summer. But you said they don't migrate? Weird. I love em. Chickens of the water.

[@avionboyd8112]

One try to attack me when I was chilling listening to music

[@grimchapman]

Great video, I have had 1 Moorhen in my garden now for several months and was feeling sorry that it was lonely. There is now 4 chicks running around and a nest with 4 additional eggs in a nest in my pond. However, I have only ever seen 1 adult yet the video implies that both attend the nest. Anyone shed any light on this.

[@rogerevans425]

From early March through to Mid April we had a pair living under our shed. They patrolled the garden and fed quite happily from the seed dropped from bird feeders. They were quite aggresive towards the squirrels that also tried to eat the fallen seed. Now there is no water they could get to, apart from some water in a garden bucket, within at least 1.5Km. Then they just disappeared. Could find no signs of predation, so assume they left of their own accord.

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Interesting. I wonder if perhaps they left in order to rear their chicks nearer to water. Without water, the young chicks would be vulnerable to pretty much every predator. Cheers

[@khaelstarson1637]

in phillipines we call them tikling

[@Petemonster62]

00:25 - MALLARDS ARE EVERYWHERE! I did not realize until I saw your video & studied videos of related birds, the " Moor Hen " is NOT the nick name for the Eurasian Coot - they are different species. The American Coot has the nick name " Mud Hen ".

[@kennethdaniels4205]

Moorhens that i see all the time have green legs not yellow as the coot does.

[@user-di9fd7ni2p]

Do you know that you can keep them as a pet if you hatch them from eggs and do not let them eat too much when they grow up

[@Colaris99]

I feel sorry for them as they always seem to be bullied by the Coots.

[@johnbaggus9966]

As a countryboy our father taught us to collect the eggs it was not uncommon to see 10 12 14 eggs in one nest , the birds were never harmed or the nest emptied

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Collect them to eat or collect them for collections? Interesting you would find so many in one nest.

[@johnbaggus9966]

@@AShotOfWildlife collected to eat them , there were very few on the local river, they seemed to prefer the numerous ponds in the area ( North Ayrshire scotland)

[@AShotOfWildlife]

@@johnbaggus9966 oh wow. I can't imagine they made much of a snack but faur enough.

[@bl8388]

They have BIG, little feet.

[@RogerCoyBooks]

These birds are loud!

[@victoryang2094]

juvies are brown

[@Swan698]

You can even say moorhens right or gooselins

[@AShotOfWildlife]

I really hope you haven't tried to correct my pronunciation whilst saying can instead of can't? Also, what's a gooselin?

[@martinkelsey275]

Interesting, that you did not mention or show vid of them destroying eggs of mallard, or killing small ducklings by pecking them on the head till they drown in order to reduce competition on ponds etc. There is plenty of evidence of this out there.

[@NaturallyCuriousUK]

👍 "the birds that flick their tails more often are actually the healthier individuals" - yeah, I flick my tail all the time 😀 Nice one Liam. I only noticed the red band at the top of their legs recently when I was photographing one in low sunlight. Have a good week buddy. 👍🙂👍

[@AShotOfWildlife]

Cheers mate. Did you recognise the feeder what the noorhen was on? That's Lackford but was filmed on a subsequent visit.

[@NaturallyCuriousUK]

@@AShotOfWildlife no I didn't recognise it but now that I've had another look I do! 🙂👍