Dusky Moorhen

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

The Dusky Moorhen is a common waterbird found in wetlands across Australia, New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia. It is identified by its dark grey-black plumage, red bill and frontal shield tipped with yellow, and white undertail coverts. It is frequently seen in urban ponds and permanent wetlands, where it forages on both land and water margins.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

1. 01

   Red frontal shield and yellow-tipped red bill

   Highly visible on the dark head.

2. 02

   White undertail coverts with central black bar

   Clearly visible against dark plumage, especially when tail is flicked upwards.

3. 03

   Uniformly dark slaty-grey to black body

   Appears very dark overall, sometimes with a slight brownish tinge on the back.

4. 04

   Vivid orange-yellow legs

   Strongly contrasting leg colour, particularly visible when walking or standing.