An extremely familiar bird that can be found in the smallest of ponds. The majority of British birds are resident and sedentary, but they are joined by a few immigrants from elsewhere in north-west Europe in the autumn and winter.
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Moorhen, South Creake (Norfolk, UK), 15th August 2008
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Moorhen, Snettisham (Norfolk, UK), 3rd March 2015
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Moorhen, Strumpshaw Fen (Norfolk, UK), 14th April 2012
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Moorhen, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 9th February 2007
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adult Moorhen, Beeston Common (Norfolk, UK), 17th July 2005
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first-winter and adult Moorhens, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 12th November 2005
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Moorhens, Helston Boating Lake (Cornwall, UK), 21st November 2013
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Moorhen chick, South Creake (Norfolk, UK), 2nd July 2007
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Moorhen chick, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 1st June 2007
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chick and adult Moorhens, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 7th July 2007
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Moorhen, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 15th December 2013
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juvenile Moorhen, Porthloo, St Mary's (Scilly, UK), 11th August 2012
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adult Moorhen, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 22nd February 2014
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adult Moorhen, Lower Moors (Scilly, UK), 5th October 2007
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first-winter Moorhens, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 17th November 2007
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Moorhen, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 3rd October 2015
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first-winter Moorhens, Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 1st December 2012
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adult Moorhens, Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 1st December 2012
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adult Moorhen, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 21st March 2004
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adult and first-winter Moorhens, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 3rd February 2007
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Moorhens, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 16th February 2008
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Moorhens, Battersea Park (London, UK), 26th January 2013 - the three photos of adults are all the same bird
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adult Moorhen, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 7th December 2003
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adult Moorhen, Cockshoot Broad (Norfolk, UK), 5th September 2009
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adult Moorhen, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 14th April 2007
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adult Moorhen, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 9th February 2007
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adult Moorhen, Lackford Lakes (Suffolk, UK), 2nd June 2007
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adult Moorhen, Elvas (Alentejo, Portugal), 23rd April 2006
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adult Moorhen, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 1st October 2003
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juvenile Moorhen, South Creake (Norfolk, UK), 25th July 2007
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Moorhens, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 1st April 2012
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Moorhen chick, South Creake (Norfolk, UK), 12th June 2008
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Moorhen, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 22nd February 2014
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adult and first-winter Moorhens, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 31st December 2005
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Moorhen, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 4th May 2008
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Moorhen, Sparham Pools (Norfolk, UK), 31st May 2008
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adult Moorhen, South Creake (Norfolk, UK), 21st May 2007
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juvenile Moorhen, Sheringham (Norfolk, UK), 12th August 2004
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adult Moorhen, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 17th March 2004
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adult Moorhen, Newford Duckpond, St Mary's (Scilly, UK), 20th October 2004
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Moorhen, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 21st December 2005
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adult Moorhen, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 9th September 2004
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juvenile Moorhen, Horning (Norfolk, UK), 12th June 1999
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juvenile Moorhen, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 27th October 2007
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juvenile Moorhen, Holt Country Park (Norfolk, UK), 21st June 2014
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adult Moorhen, Blakeney (Norfolk, UK), 18th January 2004
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The American form of Moorhen has now been split by some authorities as a separate species, variously known as American Moorhen or Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata. So far as I know it has not yet been claimed this side of the Atlantic, but may perhaps be a potential vagrant? Probably the most obvious difference is the broader top to the frontal shield, but see David Sibley's blog post for more on their identification. In Florida I also found the call quite different from anything I have heard from European birds.