Moorhens Rebuilding Their Nest

Bird behaviour: Persistently Optimistic Moorhens

Calling the chicks home to roost in the evening
Adult moorhen on rebuilt nest with chick

It is a privilege to be able to observe at close hand the day to day activities of a pair of mated moorhens. This pair are on the Leeds to Liverpool canal nearMicklethwaite wharf, Bingley, West Yorkshire. They have been obliging enough to build a nest out into the canal several feet, braced on an old rotting wood piling and a stone. Despite the fact it is destroyed several times a day by cattle coming down to drink, the pair continue to build and rebuild this nest to brood their seven young chicks. Using original wildlife photography, this is a typical day in the life of a moorhen nest builder. 

Micklethwaite Moorhens With New Chicks: One Day Old Moorhen Chicks

The First Moorhen Chicks on Bingley Canal: One Day Old Moorhen Chicks in the Nest

Moorhen nest, two adult moorhens

On 17th April the behavour of the moorhens that are nesting at Micklethwaite Wharf near Bingley, West Yorkshire, changed. These fiesty little birds had been observed carrying nesting material - Moorhens are compulsive nest-builders. Now, however, they were also carrying food. This feeding behaviour is typical of moorhens and signals the arrival of the first chicks. Before the eggs hatch, adults are happy to feed themselves away from the nest and simply do 'shift changes' where one adult goes to the nest to sit on the eggs when the other leaves to feed. Once you see a moorhen carrying food and offering it to the adult on the nest, you can be sure there are chicks there. All you need do is be patient and wait for the little heads to appear.

adult moorhen with one-day old moorhen chicks in the nest

Watching moorhens

I am really lucky to be able to observe there moorhens up close and personal. For reasons known only to themselves they have chosen to build a nest on a stone out into the canal. Perhaps it is safer from predators. It is some distance from the bank where the tow path runs so they are relatively safe, except for wandering cows but that is a different story.

It does make it easy to monitor them daily and it is just wonderful to be able to see bird behaviour that would otherwise be hidden away in bushes and trees.

The moorhens come back to the same mate and the same territory every year. The nest is a messy affair but they are nothing if not enterprising in what they take to fill and line it.

adult moorhen carrying nesting material

moorhen chick climbing into nest

Information about moorhen chicks

1. Moorhen chicks hatch after around 20-21 days.
2. Despite having what look like bug eyes, the moorhen chicks are born able to see.
3. They have what look like red and yellow beaks and a bald reddish patch on the top of their head. Often the only way to count how many there are in the nest, is to count the red spots. On the 17th five red bits could be seen.
4. Moorhen chicks are fed and brooded by both parents.
5. The chicks spend only the first day confined to the nest although some are more adventurous. In this particular brood two kept falling out of the nest on the first evening but with huge black feet they had no problem regaining the nest.
6. After the first day, you can see them out of the nest on the nearest shore with one or other of the adults.
7. Moorhen chicks are fed by the adults for around 6 weeks after they hatch although they do graze some for themselves.
8. They are excellent climbers - those big feet come in handy right from the start and they will clamber up anything.
9. The adults can have 2 or 3 broods a year and the juvenile chicks from early broods help to look after later broods.
10. As they approach adulthood, the juveniles are taken on a journey by the female to explore new territories.

adult moorhen with chicks in nest

adult moorhen with chicks in nest

Moorhen Facts - Geek Stuff

Order: Gruiformes

Family: Rallidae

Species: Gallinual chloropus

Common Name: Moorhen

The moorhen is a small water bird belonging to the raill family. They are a common sight on most ponds, rivers and lakes. It is a greyish/black bird, about the size of a pigeon, with glossy brown underbelly. Most noticeable is the red shield on the forehead and beak and yellow tip. The genders are very similar especially seen at a distance, but the female has a paler undercarriage. In addition her beak is slightly slimmer and longer than the male's.

They appear fairly shy birds, skittering away over water to find cover and their long legs and feet are ideal for traversing boggy ground and getting through vegetation. They are, however, quiet fiesty birds and will take on intruders much larger than themselves when they are nesting or caring for young. I once watched one take on a flamingo at Martin Mere when it strayed too close to the nest.

They make diligent parents, feeding the young with great delicacy.

I hope you come back to share more of my moorhen piccies.

Watching Moorhens Nest

My favourite moorhens nest

Micklethwaite Moorhens building their nest

I'm was lucky enough to be able to document the whole season of a pair of moorhens. Sadly, with new 'improvements' made to that part of the canal, this opportunity will never come again so these are images are particularly precious.

This photo journal features original pictures. The diary follows the progress of one Moorhen nest atGreenhill and includes some interesting observations into bird behaviour.

In 2010 a mating pair of Moorhens successfully brought up 6 chicks from a nest built out onto the canal at Micklethwaite Wharf, near Bingley, West Yorkshire. This nest year, after a shaky start, they were back. Most Moorhens keep their nests well hidden. Not so this pair. They choose to build on an old wood piling and a stone out into the canal. I expect they feel secure and it certainly provides wonderful sightings for the waterfowl photographer.

Last year I documented the first brood of 6 hatched here plus the lone survivor of a second brood that was looked after by both juvenile Moorhens from the first brood and the adults.

As is usual, during the winter months, the pair had nothing to do with each other but come February, they come back together again. At first it seemed that was just a fleeting encounter. One adult started building a nest but it was uncertain whether their mating was productive until much later. Scroll down to see their pictures.

A moorhen's nest appears

the start of a moorhen nest

 I was a bit doubtful when the adult moorhens didn't appear to be spending much time in each other's company in February and early March. I've since learned that is quite normal. Close as they seem during the breeding season, and despite the fact they come back to the same mate, they lead very separate lives for most of the year.  Then the beginnings of a nest were seen in mid March but was this just a reflex behaviour pattern or was there going to be a nest?  Yes. there was going to be a nest.

Nesting Moorhens

nesting moorhens

By the 24th March, the moorhens were nesting. One sat on the nest while the other foraged for food and nesting material. The fact that one was always on the nest suggests there were already eggs laid. Moorhens love building nests and nest building never stops.

Anything is used, mainly twigs and grass but also in that particular nest are feathers, one ice cream wrapper and a strip of plastic. Whenever an adult is returning to the nest it will bring back an offering and one was watched swimming from the coppice well up the canal back to the nest with an old leaf.

Both adults take turns sitting on the eggs, carefully changing shifts every half an hour or so.

Once the eggs hatch the behavour of the adults changes only slightly. The one not on the nest now brings food for the hatchlings and the other adult. The chicks will leave the nest on day two but will keep returning to it for several weeks yet.

Shift Change!

One on, one off - the adults take turns incubating the eggs. They hatch in around 20-22 days.

Information about Moorhens

Order: Gruiformes

Family: Rallidae

Species: Gallinula

Common name: Moorhen

Length: 12-14 inches

Wingspan: 20-22 inches

Weight: 9-15 ounces

I hope you come back to visit their chicks!

Birdwatching along Bingley Canal

Along the canal - my 6 feathered families

'what ya doing?" white mallard duck by annmackiemiller

This page takes a look back at the "Fowl Tales", a collection of photo journals featuring British birds taken by me here in Yorkshire. I particularly love wildfowl. These are all photographs of my favourite families taken last year on a small stretch of the Leeds to Liverpool canal, near Bingley, West Yorkshire, England. This is also something of an anticipatory lens, I can't wait to see what I find to photograph every year.

Some people feel the need to travel to exotic locations to photograph birds, but there is plenty to see and learn around your own neighbourhood. All you need is a camera, a notebook and a willingness to venture out in all weathers. Personally, I love to be able to tell a story with my pictures and there is no better way to do that than by observing the birds day by day. I hope you enjoy sharing my journey.

6 Wildfowl Families Along Bingley Canal

There were several waterfowl families that captured my imagination last year.

In their pecking order:

• Grumps and Lady: mute swans who had seven cygnets
• The Canada Geese who had seven goslings
• Greenhill Geese: White domestic geese with only four goslings
• Mama Mallard: a golden-coloured mallard duck who produced 15 ducklings
• Smudge the white mallard duck
• Micklethwaite Moorhens: a mating pair of moorhens at Micklethwaite Wharf who produced two broods

Mute Swans

mute swans with cygnets by annmackiemiller

Two mute swans have been breeding at this site for many years. Lady is his second mate after his first mate was killed by foxes. Grumps is probably about 17 years old and definitely believes he rules the canal. He regularly chases everything off the canal, he seems to particularly hate the Canada Geese.

7 mute swan cygnets

'Lady' the mute swan with cygnets by annmackiemiller

Swans mate for life, Grumps' first mate died and this is his new love called Lady. They had seven cygnets.

Canada Geese

Canada Geese and Goslings by annmackiemiller
Parents keep watch as the goslings feed

 Of the six visiting Canada geese on our Greenhill, there was one mating pair. They produced seven goslings who all survived. They tend to be quite aggressive but can’t stand up to the mute swan. One day in particular Grumps kept them penned in on the wooden workings of the swing bridge.


The folk who own the flats alongside the canal were fortunate to have these little gardeners keeping the grass short.

'On the water' Adult Canada goose with goslings on water

'Keeping it together' Canada Geese Goslings

Greenhill Geese: Embden Geese

'That tickles!' Embden geese with goslings

We have a resident flock of geese who live on our Greenhill- actually it is four small flocks. They are mainly white domestic geese, combining Emden and Toulouse geese, a single China goose and some hybrids that have mated with greylag geese. The gaggle started as escapees from local allotments, now gone wild. At their most there were 70. Of these only four goslings were born last year: one to one family and three to another. What was interesting was that the three chicks were cared for by three geese, mother and father and a beta female.

'follow the butt'
Goslings and adult Embden goose on water

'keep off!' Adult Embden goose protecting young

Mallard Ducks

female mallard duck by annmackiemiller

Mama Mallard is a golden-coloured mallard duck who produced 15 ducklings last year. Included in the brood was one golden chick. There is a really high mortality rate among chicks so sadly only 5 survived to adulthood. I was delighted that the little yellow duckling grew up to be a beautiful little white duck.

mallard ducklings

yellow mallard duckling

mallard ducklings

Smudge the White Mallard Duck

Smudge, mate and ducklings

White mallard ducks are fairly common and Smudge is a white duck with a dark smudge on her head. She and her mate had an early brood which they both looked after but they abandoned after about 3-4 weeks old. Incidentally they were adopted by another mother.

It is unusual for mallards to have a single partner but Smudge is the exception. Her mate is recognisable because he lacks the usual white ring around his neck.

What was interesting was that a few weeks later Smudge inserted her way into another mallard brood and eventually both females looked after the two surviving ducklings.

mallard ducklings

Smudge and her ducklings by annmackiemiller

Micklethwaite Moorhens

moorhens and nest

This was a delightful family of moorhens to watch from nesting their first brood to caring for their second. Of the first brood had eight chicks. All grew into juveniles and then one chick appeared from a second brood. The juveniles and the adults all cared for the tiny bug-eyed chick. Sadly he didn’t survive.

This family build their nest out into the canal giving me a great chance to watch them over a prolonged period.

'in the nest' adult moorhen with chicks on the nest

'Feed me Feed me' Adult moorhen with chick

I've written about these families extensively over on hubpages - you can see the photo journals and others there - AnnMackieMiller on Hubpages.

Where to find photo journals on these families

Mute Swans	Canada Geese	Greenhill Geese	Mallard Ducks	Smudge the Little White Duck	Moorhens
Grumps Swan Pictures Busking	Canada Geese Goslings	Mating Behaviour China Goose The First Goslings Watching Goslings In Flight 3 in a Bed How Geese Nest The Goose Who Can Do Canoe Rolls	Ducklings Behaving Badly The First Ducklings	& the Fat Ball The Little White Duck	Watching Moorhens Nest Building Rebuilding the Nest The First Chicks Another Moorhen Nest

British Birds: Moorhens

Pictures of Birds: The Moorhen

Adult Moorhen feeding chick
photography by annmackiemiller

If you are interested in British birds, this photo journal by wildlife photographer AnnMackieMiller will delight you. Included are some spectacular original bird pictures of moorhens and chicks - so ugly they are cute. The avid birder will also find plenty of interesting facts about this feisty little bird. It is one of my favourite wildfowl so you will find me posting about them again and again.

Images: By AnnMackieMiller copyright 2011. Please do not copy them. I use low resolution images to discourage theft but if you would like high resolution copies please contact me.

"The moorhen is a commonly seen bird along British waterways, rivers and lakes and is much the same as the American gallinule. This photo journal contains some of my favourite chick pictures. It started off as a top10 - but who can resist those cute bundles? Included you will also find some information about moorhens that I hope you find interesting. You, the reader, is who make the hard work worthwhile so be sure to stop by to say Hi.

Adult Moorhen 

"The moorhen is easily identified by the bright red shield on its forehead and bill with a yellow tip. It bobs it's head forward in an endearing way as it walks and swims and it is a great climber. It is a small plump bird with, what looks like black and grey plumage, but on closer inspection is really greyish brown. Adults have long yellow legs and feet, ideal for traversing reeds and boggy ground. The chicks are little bundles of black fluff on stilts. During their first few weeks they have characteristic bug-eyed look with a tiny red beak with a yellow splash. When you see them first on the edges of the nest they almost look like furry spiders. Both adults brood and feed the chicks until they are around 6 weeks old.

nesting moorhen - they like to be well hidden in bushes or trees - except for my Micklethwaite Moorhens

Micklethwaite Moorhens nesting in the full view

I am lucky enough to be able to follow one particular family on the canal near my home, nesting in full view of anyone walking along the canal tow path. It makes bird watching accessible to many who might never have considered it before. When I am down there with my camera people stop to ask what I am watching and it is a joy to see their delight when I point out new chicks they might never have noticed otherwise. This year, 2011 they have had 3 broods, the juveniles of the brood before helping to care for the new chicks as they arrive. I hope you enjoy sharing these bird pictures.

Moorhen chick 

Moorhen Facts

Did you know?

• Order: Gruiformes
• Family: Rallidae
• Species: Gullinula chloropus
• Common Name: Moorhen
• Length: 12-14 inches
• Wingspan: 20-22 inches
• Weight: 9-15 ounces
• Lifespan: up to 15 years

"No! I am NOT waiting for a bus!"

This little guy looked so comical standing on the edge of the canal I just had to snap the shot.


Notecard: Moorhen Chick by annmackiemiller
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Moorhen facts

Did you know?

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• Moorhens fight with their feet.
• The red shield on their foreheads stands out when they are in aggressive mode.

Adult with two hungry chicks 

Running - they can get up quite a speed on land especially when they are chasing off threats to their chicks. 

I spotted these cuties high on the bank and saw they had climbed the tyre to get there.
Shows you how handy those big feet are right from the start.

Moorhen facts

• The juvenile moorhens from an earlier brood will help care for the next brood.
• Moorhen chicks will stay only 1 day in the nest before venturing out with the adults.
• Both parents feed, groom and protect the chicks.

"At home with Mum"

Notecard: Moorhen & Chick by annmackiemiller
See more Moorhen Cards

Moorhens are very loving birds taking tender care of their young. This is a delightful picture of a day old chick with an adult at the nest. This particular little fella kept falling into the water as he explored his new world but he had no problem getting back up to the nest with those big feet. His little stub wings are so cute!

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"Open wide."