Wildlife Around Las Vegas, Birds, Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)

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Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)
Birds Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas

General Description: Common Gallinules (Gallinula galeata) are black, duck-like birds with a red bill and white on the sides of the tail, and sometimes a bit of white shows along the side of the body. In adults, the tip of the bill is yellow. Compare with American Coot.

Taxonomy: Order: Gruiformes (cranes, rails, and allies); Family: Rallidae (rails); Subfamily Fulicinae. Formerly referred to as the Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), North and South American populations were split by the American Ornithologists' Union in 2011, and we got the Common Gallinule.

Favored Habitat: Shallow ponds and marshes.

Where to Find: Common Gallinules are uncommon around Las Vegas, but the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is a good place to check. For more natural settings, check the Pahranagat Valley or the Overton Wildlife Management Area.

Comments: While these birds look like ducks, they are actually more closely related to Rails.

Note red-and-yellow bill; white on edges of tail

Common Gallinule: note black feathers with white on side and tail	Common Gallinule: note broad, red frontal shield and yellow bill tip
Common Gallinule: note white line on side and tail	Common Gallinule pair; Dunedin, Florida
Common Gallinule: note the yellow legs with red knee	Common Gallinule: note the long toes
Juvenile Common Gallinule	Common Gallinule pair; Dunedin, Florida
Common Gallinule parent and two fledglings	Common Gallinule parent feeding fledgling
Common Gallinule; Dunedin, Florida	Common Gallinule pair; Dunedin, Florida

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.

; Last updated 240110

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