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The
Common Moorhen
The
common moorhen (Gallinula chloropusAnolis), a medium-sized
water bird that nests on SRS, is a member of the rail family
(Rallidae) and a relative of the coot. Unlike many of the
rails, this bird usually is easy to see, feeding in open
waters rather than in reedbeds. Moorhens have short, rounded
wings and tend to be relatively weak fliers, although they're
usually capable of covering long distances. They walk easily,
on the other hand, as their strong legs combine with long
toes to make them well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces.
Moorhens are omnivorous, feeding on plant material, small
animals, and eggs. They are aggressively territorial during
the breeding season but generally can be found in sizeable
flocks on the shallow, vegetated lakes they prefer. There
are believed to be a few hundred moorhens at SRS. The 2006
SRS Environmental Report's interactive CD and associated
web page were created by Marvin Stewart of the Washington
Savannah River Company's Information Technology Department.
The cover photograph was shot at the site's PAR Pond by
Al Mamatey of the company’s
Environmental Services Section. The cover was designed
by Eleanor Justice of the Documentation
and Information Services Section – Information Management
and Program Support Group.
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