Common Moorhen

Gallinula chloropus (Linnaeus, 1758)

		juvenile
2017-04-08 Almatinskaja obl.. g. Taldykorgan 2007-08-27 Temirtau, Karaganda oblast	© Alexandr Belyaev © Askar Isabekov

Distribution

Breeds generally in plains of Kazakhstan in north to lower reaches of Ilek river, Naurzum, Kurgaldzhino, Shortandy area, Semipalatinsk and Zaysan lake. On migration occurs everywhere. In winter recorded in Aksu-Dzhabagly (31 December 1993).

Biology

Numerous breeding migrant. Inhabits the fresh and salty lakes, pounds and low-current rivers, with the reed-beds or bush thickets and patches of open water. Arrives mostly by pairs in the end of April - early May. Last spring migrants recorded in early June. Breeds in separate pairs at distance at least 70-100 m one from another. Nest is located among the water in reed-bed or bush at 10-15 cm above water level; nest is built from dry stems and leaves of different plants and is lined with green leaves. Clutch of 6-12 eggs is laid in May to end of June. Incubation lasts 19-22 days. Chicks hatch in June to early August, and very early begin the self-supporting life. Double-breeding species; the repeated breeding after loss of first nest is common. Autumn migration begins in end of August. In northern areas Moorhens disappear in early October, in southern ones the latest birds observed in the end of October – November.

Subspecies

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.