Common Gallinule or Moorhen Bird – Swimmers – 6/12/2010 to 8/2/2016

The adult Common Gallinule was photographed at Cameron Prairie National Refuge in Louisiana.

The immature Common Gallinule was also photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Common Gallinule or Moorhen

The bird is made of two species called the Common Gallinule in North and South America, and the Common Moorhen in Europe, Asia, and Africa. There are mainly two differences between them; their vocalization, and the shape and size of the red head shield. The Common Gallinule has and is referenced as a Common Moorhen in some bird books.

The adult Common Gallinule has a gray-tan top, gray bottom, and red beak with yellow tip, red head shield, white flank stripe, red-yellow legs, and white under the tail. The immature Common Gallinule is a dull brownish-gray color top and bottom, a drab maroon bill, no head shield, with yellow legs, a white flank stripe, and white under the tail. It inhabits well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands with a range from Canada to Chile. It eats seeds of grasses and sedge, small aquatic creatures, and some snails. It uses its long toes to walk on top of floating vegetation and grasses. It will fight to defend its territory.

Select this link to see where the Common Gallinule photos were taken in Louisiana

 

 

Purple Gallinule Bird – Swimmers – 8/2/2016

The adult Purple Gallinule photos were taken at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Louisiana.

The juvenile Purple Gallinule photos were also taken at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Purple Gallinule

The adult Purple Gallinule is very colorful with head and underparts a violet-purple, back a bronzy green, bill red with a yellow tip, legs yellow, and with a blue forehead shield. It has long legs. The juvenile Purple Gallinule is a drab brown above, pale below, bill brown, and with yellow legs. It has a range of southeast United States to Argentina. It has a habitat of fresh swamps, and ponds. It eats a wide variety of plants, seeds, and fruits, and small animals such as insects, frogs, snails, spiders, worms, and fish. It usually walks on floating vegetation or climbs through brush rather than swimming. It also climbs bushes.

Select this link to see where the Purple Gallinule photos were taken