We first saw the Dusky Moorhen chicks on 29th January when they emerged from their very well hidden nest. There were six chicks, but overnight one was lost, leaving five. This afternoon after a few days away we can only see four chicks, which causes us to wonder about a predator. The adults are fiercely protective, but perhaps a snake, raptor, or water rat might take a young waterhen. Does anyone know?
adult feeding young
chicks on lotus leaves
hurrying towards the other parent
The adults keep up a soft warm purring sound, or a quack, as they search for food, the little ones chirrup softly keeping in touch with each other, or peep loudly as they encourage a parent to feed them … if the adults sense danger they call sharply, then in a loud insistent scolding tone, to send the little ones into the reeds for safety.
beyond the lotus bud
Now here is a photo from 29th January, exactly a week ago … look how young and fluffy the chicks were then! Good to see how well they are growing isn’t it?
newly emerged Dusky Moorhen chicks
related posts:
http://dadirridreaming.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/more-moorhens/
http://dadirridreaming.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/moorhen-chicks/
http://dadirridreaming.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/dusky-moorhen-gallinula-tenebrosa/
AWHHH! Look how they have grown. Sorry for the lost. The pictures are beautiful. Love the closeups. I am so enjoying these narritives.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Lovely images. If I didn’t know better, they could have been taken on a pond near my home, but not at this time of year.
wonderful that these birds have been successful all over the planet!
Naturally the 3 predators you name would consider these but probably go for the eggs first before live. Hawks would be a real threat. Usually the male is more colorful than female esp beak area with water birds. Do you know if it’s the same for this species? For instance with cardinals the male is red to attract mate and female a dull brown.
they look exactly the same carl …. although they have different personalities …i think the father/male is calmer and quieter while the female is more fiercely protective and ready to punish the young if they somehow step out of line …. i have seen her shrieking and pecking at a chick which is fleeing as fast as possible … and yet minutes later all is calm and she is back to normal …she was shrieking and pecking at the water today and i remembered we have eels in the dam, so they would pose a threat to her and the young.
Such is natural history stories, the hunted and the hunter, wish you good luck MJ
Love, love, love these. Who doesn’t adore offspring in nature. It doesn’t get much better. Margie
Mother moorhen so beautiful as vigilant protectoress. It’s remarkable knowing these chicks will look like her someday – how long? Pictures are beautiful. Thanks very much for chronicle!
it is so much fun to watch and join in their life adventure …. i realised today that eels might be the culprits … i heard loud shrieking and rushed out to see what was happening … the mother was pecking the water and making a piercing noise … i immediately thought she must have spotted an eel!