Birdzilla Center for Bird Identification – Coot, Moorhen and Gallinule

American Coots are often prey for hawks, owls, and Bald Eagles, and when threatened they may begin splashing or actually dive to avoid capture. Repeated capture attempts by an aerial predator may result in exhaustion of a coot and its eventual capture.

Head darker than back.  White bill. May show small, reddish shield on the head at the base of the bill.  Greenish legs with long toes. Photograph © Sam Crowe.

Pale wing linings.  Photograph © Sam Crowe.

Common Gallinule

Like other marsh birds, the Common Moorhen is local in its distribution, depending on the availability of its preferred habitat. Dense aquatic vegetation such as cattails or bulrushes is important for Common Moorhens, though the surrounding landscape can be either natural or urban.

Large feet enable the moorhen to walk across soggy marsh vegetation. It does not have webbed feet like ducks, but is still able to swim quite capably. It prefers to hide in vegetation if threatened, but can dive briefly to escape an attack from a hawk.

Its common name has gone back and forth from Gallinule to Moorhen and back to Gallinule.

White in the wing and tail. Brown back, gray flanks, darker head.  Red forehead shield on adult, reddish bill with pale tip. Photograph Sam Crowe.

Purple Gallinule

Boldly colored in iridescent greens and blues, the Purple Gallinule makes a dramatic impression on the observer. Prone to wandering, Purple Gallinules occasionally turn up well outside of their southern U.S. breeding range, even in other countries.

Juvenile Purple Gallinules from a first brood may help feed young birds in a second brood. Rice farms are often used for nesting, but an early harvest can mean that some young birds are lost to harvesting activities.

Yellow legs have long toes.  Blue body with blue-green wings and back.  Blue shield, red bill with yellow tip.  Photograph Sam Crowe.