Dusky Moorhen

Back on 20 October 2008 I took a day of leave from work to care for Maddie as it was a student-free day at her school. We decided to head down to Teralba Park at Mitchelton to see what we could see. Kedron Brook flows through the park and is an important habitat for many species of plants and animals.

One of the highlights was sighting of a pair of Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa). Here are some photos I took. As always, click on any photo to enlarge the image.

These birds are mainly a dark grey-black colour. They have a red frontal shield and a yellow-tipped red beak. Their noisy call is a distinctive kruk.

Dusky Moorhen are omnivorous and thrive in wetland habitats, favouring freshwater marshes. This environment is perfect for these birds as they quickly dart under the overhanging foliage if they feel threatened.

A lot of work has been done over the last decade to improve the quality of Brisbane's suburban waterways and being able to see such wildlife is a sure sign that the work is succeeding.