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Common Moorhen


Common Moorhen
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1202 W: 68 N: 2489] (8215)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-07-02
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D300, Sigma 135-400mm f/4.5-5.6 APO, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/60 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-06 1:14
Viewed: 437
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
First of all I want to thank all the visitors of my 200th posting for their views, very nice comments and critiques.

This time a photo of a Common Moorhen in my garden. It’s there all year long. Last year a couple was nesting in my garden and raise two young. This year I only see the male and female. They are very shy all the time. And let that be so.

The Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) is a bird in the rail family with an almost worldwide distribution outside Australasia as well as deserts, many tropical rainforests, and the polar regions. It is equally often called the common Waterhen, a name which is more apt because the bird lives around ponds, lakes, canals, marshes, etc., but is not common in moorland.

Other names include the water rail, the moor coot and the common gallinule. This proliferation of names is probably due to the commonness of the bird in many different places.

This is a common breeding bird in marsh environments and well-vegetated lakes. It is often secretive, but can become tame in some areas. Populations in areas where the waters freeze, such as southern Canada, the northern USA and eastern Europe, will migrate to more temperate climes.

It is a distinctive species, with dark plumage apart from the white undertail, yellow legs and a red facial shield. The young are browner and lack the red shield. It has a wide range of gargling calls and will emit loud hisses when threatened.

This species will consume a wide variety of vegetable material and small aquatic creatures. They forage while swimming, sometimes upending to feed, or walking through the marsh.

The nest is a roofed basket built on the ground in dense vegetation. Laying starts in spring, between mid-March and mid-May in N hemisphere temperate regions. 8-12 eggs are usually laid per female early in the season; a second brood in summer usually has only 5-8 or even less eggs; nests may be shared by females. Incubation lasts about three weeks. Both parents incubate and feed the young. These fledge after 40-50 days, become independent usually a few weeks thereafter, and may raise their first brood the next spring.(Snow et al. 1998)

Despite loss of habitat in parts of its range, the Common Moorhen remains plentiful and widespread.
About one dozen subspecies are today considered valid; several more have been described which are now considered junior synonyms. Most are not very readily recognizable as differences are rather subtle and often clinal. Usually, the location of a sighting is the most reliable indication as to subspecies identification, but the migratory tendencies of this species make identifications based on location not completely reliable. Old World birds have a frontal shield with rounded top and fairly parallel sides; the tailward margin of the red unfeathered area is a smooth waving line. American birds have a frontal shield that has a fairly straight top and is less wide towards the bill, giving a marked indentation to the back margin of the red area.
Despite being a bountiful species, small populations are of course more prone to extinction. The Mariana Common Moorhen or pulattat (G. c. guami) is very rare nowadays due to destruction of habitat. Only some 300 adult birds remained in 2001, and it is listed as Endangered both federally (since 1984) and locally (Takano & Haig 2004).

There are two Pleistocene paleosubspecies known from fossils. These were distinct (generally larger) forms and probably the direct ancestors of some of today's Common Moorhens: Gallinula chloropus brodkorbi from the Ichetucknee River, Florida, and an undescribed Early Pleistocene form from Dursunlu, Turkey (Louchart et al. 1998).
haraprasan, boreocypriensis, zulfu, siggi, Alex99, gannu, eqshannon, nglen, xTauruSx, jaycee, Gert-Paassen, maurydv, Luis52, uleko, Ken52, Amadeo has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Peter,
A nice capture of this beautiful moorhen. Composition wise very good but I think the focus is a bit off. Anyway still then a nice capture. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Peter, Good Morning my firend, Today my neighbour,

A lovely shot of this beautiful bird, Common Moorhen with wonderful details ans pose. The colours and surrounding natural environ are also perfect my friend. TFS.
Have a nice week!
Cheers,

Bayram
PS. you are very quick:D

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 527 W: 0 N: 95] (583)
  • [2008-07-06 2:17]

Hello Peter,
Splendid capture of this cute Moorhen in all aspects. Superb sharpnes and details. TFS. Regards,
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • efsus Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 184 W: 13 N: 170] (1086)
  • [2008-07-06 2:41]

Merhaba Peter,
Vahşi doğada çok seyrek gördüğüm ve oldukça ürkek olmasından tatminkar bir fotosunu henüz çekemediğim bu kuşun güzel bir karesi.
Renkler kompozisyon ve gözteması da çok hoş olmuş. Eline sağlık.
Hüseyin

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 280 W: 3 N: 751] (2694)
  • [2008-07-06 3:25]

Hi Peter,
A beautiful species. Sharp and crisp clear image. Perfect light to show this Moorhen. Very well done.
Siggi

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3035 W: 148 N: 4525] (14615)
  • [2008-07-06 4:04]

Hi Peter.
You have picture a fine bird at a very cute edge of nature. I like a lot nice presentation of the bushes and grass as a surroundings for the pictured beauty. I am impressed with great reproduction of all colour tones of the plumage, head and legs. Composition is perfect too. Despite the long exposure time, you have frozen movement of the bird excellently. TFS and best regards.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 917 W: 4 N: 2290] (10678)
  • [2008-07-06 4:59]

Hello peter, What a colorful bird. Very nicely done and neat colorful image. good lighting Ganesh

Hi Peter, I have been trying for weeks to get such a picture of a moorhen, this is better than mine.. such a clear well defined and colourful bird. The red leg parts and beak is impressive... fine upload, regards h

An interesting approach to the subject. I wonder if he is lost of are they commonly on kept grounds as well? Some of our aviaries do the same, but we have none such as this here. Fine image and composition Peter.
Bob

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1990 W: 5 N: 5539] (20936)
  • [2008-07-06 8:41]

Hi Peter. You have so many birds in your garden . The more han always makes me laugh with its big feet and red bil. Your shot captured the colours so well showing the blues in the fetahers which often look just black. well done TFS. Inetersting notes too.
Nick..

Hi Peter, a wonderful shot of this Common Moorhen. TFS. Regards,
Deniz

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1780 W: 8 N: 4611] (14907)
  • [2008-07-06 10:08]

Hi Peter,

What a nice resident you have in your garden. I love the pose in front of the bush. His legs and face are so colorful. Beautiful colors and good details of the face, plummage and legs. Maybe there will be more babies.

Jane

Hallo Peter,

Mooi plaatje van deze Waterhoen.
Ze zijn toch wel redelijk schuw al heb ik er een foto van broedend op het nest.
Jij boft maar met al die vogels bij je tuin.

Gert

Bellissima cattura nel tuo giardino, ottimi POV e composizione, data la poca luce a disposizione si nota il micromosso della gallinella in movimento e forse una messa a fuoco leggermente oltre il soggetto, belli e naturali i colori. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 994 W: 6 N: 2661] (9899)
  • [2008-07-06 14:28]

Hi Peter,you're lucky to have same beauties in your garden..eheheh..very nice and interesting shot,the details and the colors are 1st quality,very very interesting note too,my best compliments,have a nice week,luciano

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1022 W: 5 N: 2802] (10144)
  • [2008-07-06 19:26]

Hi Peter.
Nice colors in this image. The Moorhen seems to be happy in Your garden, and I hope they soon have a big family, they know for sure that You will take good care of them.
Saludos
Luis52.

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 0 N: 4837] (14366)
  • [2008-07-06 23:03]

Hi Peter

I also have several moorhens in my garden (well 2 or three) and they always run like mad whenever I appear.

Great POV and typical pose. Good colour and detail.

James

  • Great 
  • cako Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 382 W: 0 N: 369] (1976)
  • [2008-07-07 5:29]

Hi Peter
this is very nice colors of bird
well done.

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2463 W: 168 N: 7435] (23482)
  • [2008-07-07 11:32]

Hello Peter,
Another beautiful bird in your garden very well captured. Good focus on the eye, fine details and lovely colours of the plumage.
TFS and regards, Ulla

Hi Peter, lovely bird with fantastic colors, fine details and excellent sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • Ken52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 663 W: 98 N: 1260] (4181)
  • [2008-07-07 15:01]

Hi Peter, good job capturing the natural colors of the moorhen. Great eye contact. He/she does have startled look. I guess they are shy. Exposure is outstanding in this photo and your note is excellent.

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-07-08 7:27]

Hello Peter

A very good unobstructed view of this moorhen.
The ones here are always so hidden in the marsh.
Very good colours.
You have managed very good eye contact.
Well placed in the shot.
TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1033 W: 26 N: 2997] (10816)
  • [2008-07-08 7:37]

Great shot Peter, very nicely composed with good detail in those dark feathers. I also like the setting too, good work!
tfs
Paul

Hola Peter, buena fotografía, buena luz y color, el fondo nos muestra parte de su habitat. Un saludo

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1329 W: 107 N: 4800] (21318)
  • [2008-07-10 13:30]

Hello Peter, very good shot of the Moorhen, a good exposure, a lovely composition and good details. 1/60 at 400mm is a bit slow, I would have cranked the ISO up a bit but it's still a beautiful image, well done, thanks!

Mario

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 24 N: 4988] (16346)
  • [2008-07-13 10:38]

Hi Peter,
Wonderful shot of this beautiful Common Moorhen in this natural surrounding. Very impressive sharpness and lovely colours on its plumage with perfect lighting and exposure. Excellent DOF, POV and composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

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