Common moorthen

    Gallinula chloropus

Castilian: Gallineta común

Catalan: Polla d'aigua

Gallego: Galiñola

Euskera: Uroiola

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Gruiformes

Family: Rallidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

It is not very threatened due to its great adaptability, but it can be affected by the loss of wetlands and harm caused invading species.

Length / size: 32-35 cm / 50-55 cm

Identification: Medium-sized bird with very dark plumage that has shiny metallic bluish-green feathers; its flanks are very dark and are trimmed with white feathers; its tail covert feathers are white and its bill is red with a yellow tip. Juveniles have a brownish colour.

Song: There are very noisy, making a "krree krree" sound that is quite penetrating.

Diet: Its food source can be animal or plant depending on where it lives. It consumes a large quantity of plant matter (reeds, underwater plants, different shoots, fruits, grains), and its food can also come from animals (invertebrates in the water) and even carrion.

Reproduction: Once a mate and territory have been chosen, both begin building the nest, which is made of aquatic plants, stalks and sticks, and which is located above river vegetation. Both are responsible for incubation and the chicks, within a few hours of hatching, leave the nest and wander about the surrounding areas with their parents. Normally the chicks from the first clutch defend the territory and care for the following clutches.

HABITAT

It prefers calm waters with silty bottoms and belts of river vegetation; however, this species is very tolerant and inhabits all types of wetlands: marshes, reservoirs, lakes, irrigation ditches, riverside areas, urban ponds and even polluted waters.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is distributed throughout the entire peninsula and the archipelagos, but is absent in Ceuta and Melilla.

In Castile and León: It is distributed throughout all the provinces, although it is less common in Soria, Segovia and Ávila.

Movements and migrations: Specimens from northern Europe come to the peninsula to spend the winter.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 90000-120000 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: There is an estimated population of more than 12000 breeding pairs.