The common gallinule is the new name for the common moorhen. The birds inhabit the eastern United States, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia and are also called the Eurasian moorhen. Most birds look silly when newly hatched, and the gallinule is no different. The babies resemble misshapen little space aliens with bulbous eyes and odd spurs sticking out from their sides.
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The babies are bald and have huge eyes that appear swollen. They are born with little spiky protrusions, or spurs, on their wings. These spurs help the hatchlings climb over vegetation and get into the nest. Another odd feature of these silly-looking hatchlings is their feet. Gallinules have large feet with long toes to help them navigate on soft mud and through marshy areas.
Adult gallinules appear to be a cross between a duck and a hen. They are excellent swimmers but don’t have webbed feet. Their body shape is duck-like, but they have pointy beaks. They belong to the Rail family, which includes Coots and several other species of wetland birds.
We have compared baby pigeons to space aliens in the past. It might be true that many bird species hatch and look like otherworldly creatures. Not many are cute right out of the shell. Most fuzz up and get adorable within a day or two. The gallinule takes a bit longer. You’ve heard the phrase, “so ugly they’re cute”? That might be the most fitting way to describe gallinule hatchlings.
Both parents teach the hatchlings what they need to know for survival, including what to eat. The parents also discipline the youngsters when they do something wrong.
Please share if you’ve fallen in love with these alien babies.
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