Common moorhens are widespread throughout Europe, South America, Africa and India. In Britain they are a fairly common sight near most aquatic environments, and they are excellent swimmers. Unusually, it is the female birds who fight amongst themselves for mating rights to males. Moorhens are incredibly resourceful - scientists recorded an incident where during heavy rain a bird incubating eggs was seen to cover itself with a sheet of polythene like a cape, then remove it once the rain stopped.

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