The dusky moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa) is named for its dark grey-black plumage, which looks noticeably darker and lacks the distinct white flank stripes found on its European relative, the Common Moorhen. The easiest way to tell them apart is via their legs – Dusky Moorhens feature distinct orange-yellow to red legs while Common Moorhens have greenish-yellow or dull-yellow legs. Moor comes from the Old English word mere, which historically meant a marsh, swamp, or body of shallow water. It lives in freshwater marshes, swamps, and urban wetlands throughout Australia, New Guinea, and eastern Indonesia.
© BirdsImageStock