Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)
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Common Gallinule

Gallinula galeata (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1818)

340 gWeight

The common gallinule (Gallinula galeata) is a bird in the family Rallidae.

Busiest months: January and April–May · Most records: United States, Canada, Argentina

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Common Gallinule has been recorded at 1,346 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 53 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Sweetwater WetlandsUnited States22,573 records
  2. Sweetwater Wetlands ParkUnited States16,076 records
  3. The Celery FieldsUnited States15,941 records
More places
  1. Estero Llano Grande SP WBCUnited States14,869 records
  2. Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Ctr.United States14,755 records
  3. Merritt Island NWR – Black Point Wildlife DriveUnited States14,192 records
  4. Lake Apopka Wildlife DriveUnited States13,221 records
  5. Green Cay Wetlands & Nature CenterUnited States12,967 records
  6. South Padre Is. – Birding and Nature CenterUnited States12,147 records
  7. Henderson Bird Viewing PreserveUnited States10,378 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesCanadaArgentinaBrazilMexicoPeruColombiaPuerto Rico

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The common gallinule (Gallinula galeata) is a bird in the family Rallidae. It was split from the common moorhen by the American Ornithologists' Union in July 2011. It lives around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands in the Americas.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Common Gallinule?

The Common Gallinule weighs around 340 g.

Where does the Common Gallinule live?

Its breeding range: North America, South America, Pacific Ocean: widespread. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Argentina.

When is the best time to see the Common Gallinule?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, April and May (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Common Gallinule endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Common Gallinule as Least Concern.

What does the Common Gallinule eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Common Gallinule in?

It belongs to the family Rails, Crakes & Coots (Rallidae), order Gruiformes.

At a glance

Weight
340 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
176 mm
Tail
75 mm
Bill
31 mm
Tarsus
51 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America, South America, Pacific Ocean: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Rails, Crakes & Coots Rallidae
Genus
Gallinula

Other birds in the genus Gallinula

Dusky MoorhenDusky MoorhenGallinula tenebrosaCommon MoorhenCommon MoorhenGallinula chloropusGough MoorhenGough MoorhenGallinula comeriMakira WoodhenMakira WoodhenGallinula silvestrisGrey-throated RailGrey-throated RailCanirallus oculeusChestnut-headed CrakeChestnut-headed CrakeAnurolimnas castaneicepsSpotted RailSpotted RailPardirallus maculatusBlackish RailBlackish RailPardirallus nigricansPlumbeous RailPlumbeous RailPardirallus sanguinolentusAsh-throated CrakeAsh-throated CrakeMustelirallus albicollis
Common Gallinule

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Kakalotli. ↗

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