Wetlands are one of the most important freshwater sources. They also provide various ecological services. India is extremely rich in terms of wetland diversity and is one of the few countries in the world to have a wetland inventory system. There are 42 sites in the country that have been designated as Wetlands of International Importance or Ramsar sites. Here we are trying to explore Chennai's Wetland Biodiversity...Anyone can contribute to this...
தாழைக் கோழி Eurasian Moorhen Gallinula chloropus (Gruiformes > Rallidae) a Wetland Bird from Chennai Marshland area.
Eurasian Moorhen Gallinula chloropus (Gruiformes > Rallidae) observed at Sivaram Avenue, Sivagami Nagar, Medavakkam, Chennai (Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal).
The common moorhen /Gallinula chloropus, also known as the waterhen or swamp chicken, தாழைக் கோழி is a bird species in the rail family (Rallidae). this bird spread across the Old World.
The common moorhen commonly lives around well-vegetated fresh and brackish marshes, on ponds, lakes, and along slow-moving watercourses with bordering vegetation. Swims with jerky motion and walks with stealthy gait, the tail often slightly cocked; does not usually dive. Note big white oval patches under the tail and white streaks along flanks. The adult has a red bill with a yellow tip; the immature has a duller bill and legs. Smaller and more retiring than coot, and rarely far out on open water.
(Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal)
This post records the presence of this Eurasian Moorhen in Sivagami Nagar, Medavakkam, Chennai - 600 100. The currently observed bird is living in an empty plot where rainwater is stagnant and dense with Typha (Typhaceae, Poales) plant species.
We are observing this bird-couple since 1st February 2021 in this plot, most of the time they live in this spot only, whenever they are disturbed by humans or by other animals they ran and hide inside the Typha vegetation.
A Eurasian Moorhen hiding in Typha Vegetation after their territory was intruded on by me for photography (Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal).
Even though they run away from humans and dogs they don't have fear towards snakes. they voluntarily search and fight with snakes.
This video was taken in another place that is also near to this plot but there the couple is different. they were literally chasing, searching, and fighting with that snake. even though the snake ran and hid, these birds didn't let it go... they were waiting and searching continuously until the snake came out, watch the video to know more...
Eurasian Moorhen build their nest using the dried plant parts, here in this case they built a nest with the Typha plant parts. it was surprising for me that, one bird was searching for food for another one which was incubating their eggs.
Unhatched eggs of Eurasian Moorhen / Common Moorhen (Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal)
One parent moorhen was continuously sitting on the eggs to incubate them until hatching of eggs. The day they laid eggs was un-noticed hence could not say how many days they incubated their eggs, But the Moorhen chicks were first 08th March 2021. First day evening two moorhen chicks were noticed on another day we noticed five moorhen chicks.
Chicks of Common Moorhen/ Eurasian Moorhen (Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal).
The Moorhen chicks are so cute and with full dark black hairs/ feathers which were absent only on the forehead of the moorhen that gave them the elegant look.
In this picture, one could easily check the morphology of the Moorhen chicks. their cute feathers and bald head with red peak are clearly visible (Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal).
Since these are so small, their parent Moorhen search food for them in the water and then they feed them...
Moorhen chicks waiting for their mother to feed them and the parent moorhen going with the feed towards their kids (Photo credit: U Elaya Perumal).
This is our small contribution towards the Chennai Marshland Biodiversity and to the Eurasian Moorhen / Common Moorhen.
Thank you for reading... Kindly share with your friends...
