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Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa) Alternate name(s): "Black Moorhen", "Black Gallinule" Aboriginal name(s): "mubay-mubay" [eastern bundjalung]; "jandindi", "kilkie" Size: 35-40 cm; wing span 55-60 cm Body mass: 480-700 g

Australia: Family Group 7 Family Group 7 Table Dusky Moorhen Australasian (Purple) Swamphen Black-tailed Native-hen Tasmanian Native-hen Pale-vented Bush-hen Eurasian Coot White-browed Crake Spotless Crake Baillon's Crake Australian Spotted Crake Lewin's Rail Buff-banded Rail Red-necked Crake Chestnut Rail White-breasted Waterhen Lord Howe Woodhen Australian Bustard Brolga Sarus Crane Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Dusky Moorhens are medium-sized waterhens with dark-grey plumage, with wings and rump having a slight brown tinge. The frontal shield and bill are red, the bill having a yellow tip. Male Dusky Moorhens have a more prominent shield than females. The legs and feet of both sexes can have various colours, ranging from olive to scarlet and yellowish-orange. The undertail coverts have two white sides. In-flight, the legs and feet often dangle conspicuously under the tail. Juveniles are more grey than black and have no frontal shield or red on the bill yet. Twitcher's tip The difference between a Dusky Moorhen and a Australian (Purple) Swamphen is that the former has two white spots, while the latter has only one on its undertail. This provides birdwatchers with an easy method to distinguish in particular immature birds of the two species.

Taxonomy, classification See Dusky Moorhen at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Dusky Moorhen is available HERE . The range of the Dusky Moorhen encompasses eastern Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia. Dusky Moorhens, nominate race "tenebrosa", are endemic to Australia. They populate basically the eastern part of the Australian continent, including northern Tasmania, plus the south-western corner of WA. They are most common along the South and East coast, the Murray-Darling Basin and the Great Dividing Range. After substantial rainfalls they can disperse along the rivers leading into the semi-arid interior, thereby populating about the eastern half of the continent, including the Lake Eyre Basin. In WA they can spread out from the far south-western tip of the continent to populate the western third of the state, to a line from about Esperance, WA, to the Gascoyne. Dusky Moorhens are not found in the eastern two-thirds of WA, most of the NT and the western half of SA. There are no Dusky Moorhens on Cape York peninsula either. Dusky Moorhens live around freshwater lakes, rivers and ephemeral wetlands, often in tall reeds. They are also common in urban parks. Where to look? How to find this species? Dusky Moorhens usually stay close to cover (such as tall reeds) near fresh water. They do not venture as far out into open areas as Australian (Purple) Swamphens do. They are easiest to find around well-vegetated fringes of bodies of water in urban parks.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "tenebrosa" We spotted a Dusky Moorhen, race "tenebrosa", for the first time in May 2006 in a park in Sydney, NSW. Since then Dusky Moorhens, race "tenebrosa", are seen regularly by us on fresh water in inland NSW, e.g. at Narrabri Lake, Narrabri, NSW. They are also regularly found elsewhere in the region, often on farm dams with reeds, but also in reeds along slow-flowing creeks. We, and various contributors, have found Dusky Moorhens in many different kinds of freshwater habitats in inland NSW/QLD and along the coastline. They have also been reported to us from the ACT and VIC. J. Greaves and C. Pears report seeing Dusky Moorhens, race "tenebrosa", regularly in various locations in Perth, WA.

Photos

Race "tenebrosa"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Some field guides suggest that male Dusky Moorhens, left, have a larger frontal shield than females.

MALE

Close-up frontal portrait of a male Dusky Moorhen; note the large shield
[Near Dubbo, NSW, October 2016]

Near-frontal view of a male Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanthorpe, QLD, February 2021]

Close-up lateral view of a male Dusky Moorhen
[Wee Waa, NSW, May 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a male Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Carrara, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2011]

Lateral view of a male Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanthorpe, QLD, February 2021]

Lateral view of a male Dusky Moorhen
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2010]

Lateral view of a male Dusky Moorhen
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]

Near-dorsal view of a male Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

FEMALE

Close-up near-frontal portrait of a female Dusky Moorhen looking sideways; note the relatively small frontal shield
[Mudgee, NSW, December 2015]

Close-up near-frontal view of a female Dusky Moorhen looking sideways
[Mudgee, NSW, December 2015]

Close-up near-lateral view of a female(?) Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Moree, NSW, April 2014]

Near-lateral view of a female(?) Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Garden, Melbourne, VIC, April 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a female Dusky Moorhen
[Near Dubbo, NSW, October 2016]

PAIR

Hey, stay here! I want to - you know what...
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2010]

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Jackadder Lake, Perth, WA, April 2025]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of T. Lawrence)
[Canberra, ACT, September 2006]

Near-dorsal view of a Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Wetlands, Moggill, QLD, February 2022]

Direct size comparison between a Dusky Moorhen, left, and an Eurasian Coot, right (photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Gold Coast, QLD, June 2014]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Close-up lateral view of an immature Dusky Moorhen
[Wee Waa, NSW, May 2022]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Dusky Moorhen
[Mother of Ducks Lagoon, Guyra, NSW, April 2011]

Lateral view of a juvenile Dusky Moorhen (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, Gatton, QLD, January 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Dusky Moorhen
[Mother of Ducks Lagoon, Guyra, NSW, April 2011]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Dusky Moorhen
[Sydney, NSW, April 2006]

Near-frontal view of an adult Dusky Moorhen with four juveniles; in total, six juveniles were accompanied by three adults during a foraging foray
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2014]

Lateral view of a Dusky Moorhen with a still dependent juvenile (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Dusky Moorhen
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2014]

Lateral view of a male Dusky Moorhen with a chick (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanthorpe, QLD, February 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Dusky Moorhen with two chicks
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

Dusky Moorhen with two chicks (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, November 2018]

Dusky Moorhen with a chick (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, November 2018]

Close-up lateral view of a Dusky Moorhen chick (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, November 2018]

Close-up lateral view of a Dusky Moorhen chick
[Mudgee, NSW, December 2015]

Near-dorsal view of a that chick is afraid of being abandoned - or worse yet, caught by the photographer...
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]

Dorsal view of a Dusky Moorhen chick (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Near-dorsal view of two recently hatched Dusky Moorhen chicks (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Three adults with a mob of recently hatched Dusky Moorhen chicks (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - Nov

Eggs: 4 - 9

Incubation period: 22 - 26(?) days

Fledging age: ?

Given the right conditions (and depending on geographical latitude), Dusky Moorhens can breed any time of the year. In the southern half of Australia they preferably breed from September to November (see table above); in the North they prefer the dry season, from January to April.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks

Height above ground: N/A

The nest can be floating on water, affixed to a plant, or sit on top of a low, flat object, such as e.g. an old reed stump. Nests are not always well-hidden.

Frontal view of a Dusky Moorhen on its nest (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, QLD, November 2021]

Lateral view of a Dusky Moorhen preening on its (disused) nest (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2024]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 53 x 36 mm

Colour: Light-brown, with sparse mid-brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial?

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

The name of this species, "tenebrosa" (=timid), indicates that these waterhens are shy. This is why they have a preference for aquatic habitats with tall reeds: They use those for cover. However, in urban parks they can become used to the presence of humans.

Juvenile Dusky Moorhen demonstrating that they can walk on lilypads (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Carrara, Gold Coast, QLD, December 2014]

Food, Diet

Dusky Moorhens feed on a variety of (mostly aquatic) plants and small animals.

Dusky Moorhen, back right, feeding on parts of aquatic plants; in the foreground a Eurasian Coot
(photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, June 2014]

Dusky Moorhen feeding a chick parts of an aquatic plant (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Near-frontal view of a Dusky Moorhen picking water bugs off the surface
[Near Dubbo, NSW, October 2016]

Example of the dangers of humans leaving behind rubbish in ponds in urban parks: Dusky Moorhen trying to swallow a piece of rubbish (photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, July 2014]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

duskhen_20190906_4.m4a	tenebrosa (NW NSW)	Contact call	© MD
duskhen_cp_20260723.m4a	tenebrosa (SW WA)	Contact calls	© CP
duskhen_20151203_4.m4a	tenebrosa (W NSW)	Contact calls	© MD
duskhen_20250226.m4a	tenebrosa (NW NSW)	Contact calls (distant, flying over at night)	© MD
duskhen_20151203_5.m4a	tenebrosa (W NSW)	Alarm call	© MD
duskhen_20210121.m4a	tenebrosa (W NSW)	Alarm calls?	© MD
duskhen_20190906_2.m4a	tenebrosa (NW NSW)	Various	© MD
duskhen_20190906_3.m4a	tenebrosa (NW NSW)	Various	© MD
duskhen_20190906.m4a	tenebrosa (NW NSW)	Various	© MD
duskhen_20151203.mp3	tenebrosa (W NSW)	Begging calls (chicks)	© MD
duskhen_20200316.m4a	tenebrosa (NW NSW)	?	© MD
duskhen_20200316_2.m4a	tenebrosa (NW NSW)	?	© MD

More Dusky Moorhen sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.