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Dusky Moorhen

A dark grey to black bird with a yellow-tipped red bill, red frontal shield, red legs, and white undertails. Hatchlings are also black with red frontal shield, juveniles have green legs, green horn or black coloured bill, generally paler.

Size

35-40 cm (from head to tail)

Behaviour

Call

Shrill ‘”cheeah”, nasal “tuk, tuk”, low honking.

Diet

Feeds in water and on land, algae, water grasses, seeds, fruits, molluscs and other invertebrates. Will upend in water when feeding but does not dive.

Breeding

Builds nest amongst reeds or on floating platforms in open water

Field Guide

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  • Species Category: Birds
  • Species origin: Native
  • Conservation status: Common
  • Did You Know?
    • The Dusky Moorhen will eat the droppings of other birds

  • What to Observe

    • Courting/Mating

    • Chicks

    • Calling

    • Feeding

    • Bird on eggs

    • Bird on nest

    • Nest building

  • When and Where

    When To Look

    Keep an eye out year round. Breeding from August - March.

    Where To Look

    Eastern and Southwestern Australia:

    • In wetlands, swamps, rivers, and artificial waterways
    • Prefers open water and water margins with reeds, rushes and waterlilies
    • May also be found on grasses close to water such as parks, pastures and lawns

  • Similar Species

    Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) is larger with a bright purple front and all red bill and shield.

    Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) is recognised by its snowy white bill and forehead shield.

    Black-tailed Native-hen (Tribonyx ventralis) is a large, stout, fleet-footed rail with an erect narrow black tail which is held folded; mainly brownish-grey, with white spots on the flanks. The bill and frontal shield is green, with an orange-red lower mandible. Legs and feet are bright pink with a bright yellow eye. Seen in pairs and sometimes large groups.

    Tasmanian Native Hen (Tribonyx mortierii)is a large, heavy bodied, flightless bird found only in Tasmania. It has a large yellow bill, a red eye, brown head, back and wings and is slate grey on its underparts. The contrasting black tail is long and narrow and is flattened along the mid-line. The legs are powerful and grey in colour.

    Bush-hen (Amaurornis moluccana) has brown back and wings and grey throat and chest with rusty tan coloured rear and under the tail. The bill and legs are greenish. It is not often seen as it spends most of the time in dense vegetation near water. It is a good swimmer and also wades in shallow water.

    Spotless Crake (Porzana tabuensis) is a cryptic water bird found in the Philippines, SW Polynesia, Australia, and New Zealand.
  • Trails: Bendigo Kennington Reservoir VIC, Cumberland Land Conservancy Wallaroo NSW, Cumberland Land Conservancy Wombat NSW, Glen Iris Wetlands VIC, Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens QLD, Haining Farm VIC, Kings Billabong Mildura VIC, Monash University VIC, Murdoch University WA, Newhaven College VIC, Organ Pipes NP VIC, Reedy Swamp Shepparton VIC, Rocky Creek Dam NSW, Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne VIC, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne VIC, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney NSW, Serendip Sanctuary VIC, Sunshine Coast Kawana Forest QLD, Sunshine Coast Maroochy Wetlands QLD, Tinaroo EEC QLD, Tyrendarra IPA VIC, Urrbrae Wetland SA, Valley Reserve Mount Waverley VIC, Wilsons Promontory NP Tidal River VIC, Yarra Bend Park VIC, Yarra River Main Yarra Trail opp Darling Gardens VIC, Valley Lake SA
  • Species Region: Australia