From Opus

Photo by Neil
Sydney, Australia, December, 2003

Gallinula tenebrosa

[edit] Identification

Very similar to Common Moorhen but differ in having red legs (sometimes only above the knee) in the adult and in lacking the white flank stripe.

[edit] Distribution

Borneo, through Indonesia to New Guinea and Australia (including Tasmania).

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies

There are 3 subspecies¹:

• G. t. frontata:

• South-eastern Borneo to Sulawesi, southern Moluccas, Lesser Sundas, south-eastern New Guinea

• G. t. neumanni:

• Northern New Guinea

• G. t. tenebrosa:

• Locally in south-western and eastern Australia and Tasmania

Chick
Photo by colonelboris
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia, December 2009

[edit] Habitat

Lowland well vegetated wetlands, including swamps, rivers. town lakes, also mangroves in dry periods. They prefer open water and water margins with reeds, rushes and waterlilies.

[edit] Behaviour

Sedentary or dispersive.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes plants and insects.

[edit] Breeding

Its bulky nest is placed at the water's edge; 5-18 whitish eggs are laid.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Wikipedia
3. BF Member observations

• List of references

[edit] External Links