In the reed-fringed wetlands of Europe, Asia, and beyond, this dark, flame-billed wanderer slips between water and shore with practiced ease. It feeds on aquatic plants, seeds, and small invertebrates, dabbling, grazing, and probing wherever shallow water meets soft mud. What makes it extraordinary is its role as a quiet recycler — by trimming vegetation and redistributing nutrients, it helps keep marshes, ponds, and canals healthy and open. Often overlooked, yet a steady caretaker of living wetlands.
Common Moorhen 👇
