Muddy Marsh

This common gallinule was feeding in a marshy area of Manatee County off Bishops Harbor Road in Rubonia, Florida on a warm July summers day in 2016.... more

by Norman Johnson

Title

Muddy Marsh

Artist

Norman Johnson

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

This common gallinule was feeding in a marshy area of Manatee County off Bishops Harbor Road in Rubonia, Florida on a warm July summers day in 2016. The�common gallinule�(gallinula galeata) is found from eastern Canada and the United States, along the gulf coast of the United States and into coastal California, the gulf coast of Mexico, the caribbean, Central America, and the lowland marshy areas of South America as far south as northern Argentina and Chile. They migrate from areas where water freezes and prefer marshy, well vegetated environments. They are not found in polar regions or many tropical rainforests preferring warmer, more open areas.

Measuring �from 12.6" to 13.9" in length with a wingspan between 21.3" and 24.4", the common gallinule is a dark sooty black overall with a white undertail, yellow legs and feet. They feet are very large in comparison to the size of the bird and allows it to walk on floating vegetation without sinking and to swim like a duck, even though the feet aren't webbed. The beak is red with a yellow tip and the top of the beack extends onto the forehead to form a red frontal shield. The beak is also more triangular like a chikens rather than flat like a ducks. There are white stripes on the flanks of the undertail. The young are browner and lack the red shield. The chicks are black.

Uploaded

October 8th, 2016