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Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
IUCN Red List history
| Year | Category |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Least Concern |
| 2009 | Least Concern |
| 2008 | Least Concern |
| 2004 | Least Concern |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type | Average mass | - |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 38,500,000 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 38,500,000 | medium |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Fragmentation | - |
Population & trend
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | poor | Estimated | 2009 | |
| Population trend | Unknown | - | ||
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 5.9 | - | - | - |
| Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.3,900,000-8,100,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2006), while national population estimates include: c.100,000-1 million breeding pairs and > c.10,000 individuals on migration in China; c.100,000-1 million breeding pairs in Taiwan; c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration in Korea; c.100,000-1 million breeding pairs and >c.10,000 individuals on migration in Japan and c.100,000-1 million breeding pairs and > c.10,000 individuals on migration in Russia (Brazil 2009). | ||||
| Trend justification: The overall population trend is uncertain, as some populations are decreasing, while others are increasing, stable or have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2006). This species has undergone a small or statistically insignificant increase over the last 40 years in North America (data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007) Note, however, that these surveys cover less than 50% of the species's range in North America. | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Albania | Native | No | |||
| Algeria | Native | No | |||
| Angola | Native | No | |||
| Anguilla (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Native | No | |||
| Argentina | Native | No | |||
| Armenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Aruba (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Austria | Native | No | |||
| Azerbaijan | Native | No | |||
| Bahamas | Native | No | |||
| Bahrain | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Bangladesh | Native | No | |||
| Barbados | Native | No | |||
| Belarus | Native | No | |||
| Belgium | Native | No | |||
| Belize | Native | No | |||
| Benin | Native | No | |||
| Bermuda (to UK) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Bolivia | Native | No | |||
| Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Botswana | Native | No | |||
| Brazil | Native | No | |||
| Brunei | Native | No | |||
| Bulgaria | Native | No | |||
| Burkina Faso | Native | No | |||
| Burundi | Native | No | |||
| Cambodia | Native | No | |||
| Cameroon | Native | No | |||
| Canada | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Cape Verde | Native | No | |||
| Cayman Islands (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Côte d'Ivoire | Native | No | |||
| Central African Republic | Native | No | |||
| Chad | Native | No | |||
| Chile | Native | No | |||
| China (mainland) | Native | No | |||
| Colombia | Native | No | |||
| Comoros | Native | No | |||
| Congo | Native | No | |||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | Native | No | |||
| Costa Rica | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Croatia | Native | No | |||
| Cuba | Native | No | |||
| Curaçao (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Cyprus | Native | No | |||
| Czech Republic | Native | No | |||
| Denmark | Native | No | |||
| Djibouti | Native | No | |||
| Dominica | Native | No | |||
| Dominican Republic | Native | No | |||
| Ecuador | Native | No | |||
| Egypt | Native | No | |||
| El Salvador | Native | No | |||
| Equatorial Guinea | Native | Yes | |||
| Eritrea | Native | No | |||
| Estonia | Native | No | |||
| Ethiopia | Native | No | |||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Finland | Native | No | |||
| France | Native | No | Yes | ||
| French Guiana | Native | No | |||
| Gambia | Native | No | |||
| Georgia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Germany | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ghana | Native | No | |||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Greece | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Greenland (to Denmark) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Grenada | Native | No | |||
| Guadeloupe (to France) | Native | No | |||
| Guam (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Guatemala | Native | No | |||
| Guinea | Native | No | |||
| Guinea-Bissau | Native | No | |||
| Guyana | Native | No | |||
| Haiti | Native | No | |||
| Honduras | Native | No | |||
| Hong Kong (China) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Hungary | Native | No | |||
| Iceland | Vagrant | No | |||
| India | Native | No | |||
| Indonesia | Native | No | |||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Native | No | |||
| Iraq | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ireland | Native | No | |||
| Israel | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Italy | Native | No | |||
| Jamaica | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Japan | Native | No | |||
| Jordan | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Kazakhstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kenya | Native | No | |||
| Kuwait | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Laos | Native | No | |||
| Latvia | Native | No | |||
| Lebanon | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lesotho | Native | No | |||
| Liberia | Native | No | |||
| Libya | Native | No | |||
| Liechtenstein | Native | No | |||
| Lithuania | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Luxembourg | Native | No | |||
| Macao (China) | Native | No | |||
| Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of | Native | No | |||
| Madagascar | Native | No | |||
| Malawi | Native | No | |||
| Malaysia | Native | No | |||
| Maldives | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Mali | Native | No | |||
| Malta | Native | No | |||
| Martinique (to France) | Native | No | |||
| Mauritania | Native | No | |||
| Mauritius | Native | No | |||
| Mayotte (to France) | Native | No | |||
| Mexico | Native | No | |||
| Micronesia, Federated States of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Moldova | Native | No | |||
| Mongolia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Montenegro | Native | No | |||
| Montserrat (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Morocco | Native | No | |||
| Mozambique | Native | No | |||
| Myanmar | Native | No | |||
| Namibia | Native | No | |||
| Nepal | Native | No | |||
| Netherlands | Native | No | |||
| Nicaragua | Native | No | |||
| Niger | Native | No | |||
| Nigeria | Native | No | |||
| North Korea | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Norway | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Oman | Native | No | |||
| Pakistan | Native | No | |||
| Palau | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Palestinian Authority Territories | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Panama | Native | No | |||
| Paraguay | Native | No | |||
| Peru | Native | No | |||
| Philippines | Native | No | |||
| Poland | Native | No | |||
| Portugal | Native | No | |||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | Native | No | |||
| Qatar | Native | No | |||
| Réunion (to France) | Native | No | |||
| Romania | Native | No | |||
| Russia (Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Central Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (European) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Rwanda | Native | No | |||
| Saudi Arabia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| São Tomé e Príncipe | Native | No | |||
| Senegal | Native | No | |||
| Serbia | Native | No | |||
| Seychelles | Native | No | |||
| Sierra Leone | Native | No | |||
| Singapore | Native | No | |||
| Sint Maarten (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Slovakia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Slovenia | Native | No | |||
| Somalia | Native | No | |||
| South Africa | Native | No | |||
| South Korea | Native | No | |||
| Spain | Native | No | |||
| Sri Lanka | Native | No | |||
| St Helena (to UK) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| St Kitts and Nevis | Native | No | |||
| St Lucia | Native | No | |||
| St Martin (to France) | Native | No | |||
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | Native | No | |||
| Sudan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Suriname | Native | No | |||
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Swaziland | Native | No | |||
| Sweden | Native | No | |||
| Switzerland | Native | No | |||
| Syria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Taiwan (China) | Native | No | |||
| Tajikistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Tanzania | Native | No | |||
| Thailand | Native | No | |||
| Togo | Native | No | |||
| Trinidad and Tobago | Native | No | |||
| Tunisia | Native | No | |||
| Turkey | Native | No | |||
| Turkmenistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Uganda | Native | No | |||
| Ukraine | Native | No | |||
| United Arab Emirates | Native | No | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom | Native | No | |||
| Uruguay | Native | No | Yes | ||
| USA | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Uzbekistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Venezuela | Native | No | |||
| Vietnam | Native | No | |||
| Virgin Islands (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Virgin Islands (to USA) | Native | No | |||
| Yemen | Native | No | |||
| Zambia | Native | No | |||
| Zimbabwe | Native | No |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | Ciénaga de La Segua |  |
| India | Mangal Jodi | |
| Mali | Lac Fati | |
| Mauritania | Sawana - Oum Lellé | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Canals and Drainage Channels, Ditches | suitable | breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Canals and Drainage Channels, Ditches | suitable | non-breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Irrigated Land (includes irrigation channels) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Irrigated Land (includes irrigation channels) | suitable | breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Ponds (below 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Ponds (below 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Water Storage Areas (over 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Water Storage Areas (over 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Freshwater Lakes | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Freshwater Lakes | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Inland Deltas | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Inland Deltas | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Shrub Dominated Wetlands | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Shrub Dominated Wetlands | suitable | breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 4000 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
Utilisation
| Purpose | Primary form used | Life stage used | Source | Scale | Level | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Food (human) | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | International | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Sport | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Gallinula chloropus. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013.
This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
| Family | Rallidae (Rails, crakes and allies) |
| Species name author | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Unknown |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 38,500,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
|
- Summary information on this species - Climate change species distributions | |
|
|