moor·hen

(mo͝or′hĕn′)

n. Chiefly British

A widely distributed gallinule (Gallinula chloropus) having a black body and a red and yellow bill that extends up onto the forehead.

[moor + hen.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

moorhen

(ˈmʊəˌhɛn; ˈmɔː-)

1. (Animals) a bird, Gallinula chloropus, inhabiting ponds, lakes, etc, having a black plumage, red bill, and a red shield above the bill: family Rallidae (rails)

2. (Animals) the female of the red grouse

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

moor•hen

(ˈmʊərˌhɛn)

n.

a common species of gallinule, Gallinula chloropus, of nearly worldwide distribution.

[1250–1300]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	moorhen - black gallinule that inhabits ponds and lakes Gallinula chloropus Gallinula, genus Gallinula - gallinules gallinule, swamphen, water hen, marsh hen - any of various small aquatic birds of the genus Gallinula distinguished from rails by a frontal shield and a resemblance to domestic hens
	2.	moorhen - female red grouse Lagopus scoticus, moorbird, moor-bird, moorfowl, moorgame, red grouse - reddish-brown grouse of upland moors of Great Britain

Translations

poule d’eau

gallinella d'acqua

moorhen

[ˈmʊəhen] N → polla f de agua

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

moorhen

n → Teichhuhn nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

moorhen

[ˈmʊəˌhɛn] n → gallinella d'acqua

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Silent, like sorrowing children, the birds have ceased their song, and only the moorhen's plaintive cry and the harsh croak of the corncrake stirs the awed hush around the couch of waters, where the dying day breathes out her last.

View in context

Little by name, little by nature, the little grebe is around half the size of a moorhen and is a dumpy bird with a pale "powder puff" below its tail.

GO WILDwith eric paylor

The moorhen, a species of water bird, was found dead with a plastic tie around its neck inside an Aldi carrier bag.

Bird found dead in bag hanging from tree

They said the search for Yasmin Keal is just one part of the ongoing week-long Operation Moorhen.

Operation Moorhen police want to speak to Accrington's Yasmin Keal; They said she is wanted for damaging a vehicle in a domestic incident

Edith found a clutch of moorhen chicks stranded in a weedy shallow area.

Calves are dancing for joy in heat; THE YORKSHIRE SHEPHERDESS

There is adjoining grazing land and the small lake, formed by the damming of an eastern tributary of the Honeycrook Burn, offers habitat for moorhen, coots and swan.

Hotel offers easy Roman Wall access; ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Some of these may include Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Spur-winged Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt, Francolin, Kingfisher, Goldfinch, Blackcap and Kestrel.

Getting out in nature

We believe the birds are coots - all black and larger than it's cousin the moorhen. But if any bird expert out there knows any better, please let us know by emailing ncj.ecnews@trinitymirror.com.

How cute is this feathered family which has taken up home on Newcastle's Exhibition Park boat lake? Our award winning photographer Simon Greener spotted the coots on the lake and captured mum, dad and their chicks on video; Our award winning photographer Simon Greener spotted the coots on the lake and captured mum, dad and their chicks on video

Breeding birds at seepage ponds in Pakistan include night-heron, cotton teal, pheasant tailed jacana, purple moorhen, besides some passerines.

Migratory birds start returning back to their native abodes

With the whole barrage being removed and a new one being installed, that will take no less than one- and- a- half month, the notified protected area for birds will vanish totally." Resident birds which come to breed here in March include spot- billed duck, Indian moorhen, black- winged stilt, purple heron, egrets, white- breasted waterhen, Oriental darter and blackcrowned night heron among others.

Draining Okhla barrage to rob sanctuary of chirpings

Due to its rich ecology, it has now become home to birds such as Purple Moorhen, Grey Heron, Pintail, Indian Stork, Lesser Whistling Teals, Coots, Shovelers, Red-rumpled Swallow, Bronze-winged Jacana and recently even flamingoes have been spotted.

Konkan Railway's initiative in Goa to attract migratory birds