Latin name
Gallinula chloropus
Family
Rails (Rallidae)
Where to see them
Around any pond, lake, stream or river, or even ditches in farmland. Moorhens can live in cities as well as the countryside. In the UK they breed in in lowland areas, especially in central and eastern England. They're scarce in northern Scotland and the uplands of Wales and northern England. UK breeding birds are residents and seldom travel far.
When to see them
Any time of year, and any time of day. You might even hear them calling at night.
What they eat
Water plants, seeds, fruit, grasses, insects, snails, worms and small fish.
Population
| Europe | UK breeding* | UK wintering* | UK passage* | | - | 270,000 pairs | 320,000 birds | - |