Gough Moorhen
Gallinula comeri
VUVulnerable Endemic to St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- Family
- Rails, Gallinules, and Coots (Rallidae)
- Order
- Gruiformes
Overview
The Gough moorhen (Gallinula comeri) is a medium-sized, almost flightless bird that is similar to the common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), but is smaller, stockier, and has shorter wings. The bird has a distinctive yellow-tipped red bill and red frontal shield.
Its first account was written in 1888 by the polar explorer George Comer, whom the specific name comeri commemorates.
This bird is found only on two remote islands in the South Atlantic.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Gough Island (South Atlantic Ocean); introduced to Tristan da Cunha in 1956.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Gough moorhen
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
