The common moorhen is a meduim-sized member of the rail family found in aquatic environments. It is 12-15 inches in length and has a wingspan of a little under two feet. It has gray-black feathers and a red bill with a yellow tip. It has white stripes on its sides. It has long chicken-like toes that help it walk on the top of floating vegetation and the mud. Males and females are similar, but males are a little larger.
The common moorhen is omnivorous and feeds while walking on plants or while floating on the water. It swims across the water to scoop up floating seeds and other materials from plants floating on the surface of the water. It also dives to gather the seeds, leaves and roots of aquatic plants. On land it walks with a high-stepping gait and pecks at the ground like a chicken. It also eats algae, small fish, tadpoles, insects, berries, grass, snails, insects and worms.
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