Birds of Ireland: Moorhen

A moorhen sitting on her nest. Picture: Denis Scannell

Moor hen [Cearc uisce | Gallinula chloropus]

A moorhen is about 32-35 cm long with a wing span of 50-55cm. They are a common breeding species found here, typically on wetland, all year round. 

Birds of Ireland: Moorhen

Both sexes look similar and a moor hen is smaller than a mallard. The adults have a bright red forehead shield; a red/yellow beak; dark plumage, apart from some white streaks on flanks and two white patches on undertail; stout legs; and large, lobed feet.

Juvenile and immature moorhens are browner and paler; with a dull olive-yellow beak. And downy young are all black with a red/yellow beak.

A moorhen has a wingspan of about 50-55 centimetres

Moorhens are rarely seen in flight — when frightened or in danger, they run along water surface with neck outstretched and wings flapping furiously, making for the nearest cover of reeds or other waterside vegetation.

A moorhen makes many sounds, usually a loud, harsh krrrek or a fast double-noted ka-kik. 

Tip of the week: 

Always remember that having the most up-to-date equipment will not automatically make you a better birdwatcher. In camera shops that sell second-hand equipment, good cheap binoculars can sometimes be found, but if at all possible only buy a pair of binoculars after looking through them first. People have individual tastes and requirements, and different makes and designs will suit different people. After all, if the binoculars are not comfortable for you and your eyes, they will probably not be used very often or, worse, may end up damaging your eyesight over time.

If you are not in a position to go to a shop to buy a pair, all the binoculars in the BirdWatch Ireland shop are selected to suit most budgets and have been tested by birdwatchers.

There are two basic types of binoculars on the market: the old-style porro prism binoculars and the newer roof prism binoculars.

The porro prism binoculars can be very good but need to be handled with care as they can be easily damaged by even a light bang and are rarely totally waterproof.

Roof prism binoculars, which look like two tubes stuck together, are very streamlined and are usually very comfortable to hold.

Compact binoculars, while being small enough to fit into your hand, have small objective lenses and so do not let in much light and have a small field of view. They can be handy if you are travelling abroad and want to keep your baggage weight down, or if you just don’t want to carry a bigger/heavier pair of binoculars around with you.

Birds of Ireland: A field guide By Jim Wilson, with photographs by Mark Carmody