One species can hide another.
Who hasn't heard this phrase while strolling along the shores of Lake Geneva?
This water bird, which can be seen all year round, has entirely black plumage with a white beak and forehead patch. It builds very large vegetation-based nests on the ground or on reeds. Nests are also sometimes built on the sterns of boats. You can easily hear it at night with its distinctive calls. But be careful! This bird is not the moorhen! It's the Coot, a member of the Rallidae family!
The moorhen does exist! Gallinule of its first name, it also belongs to the Rallidae family, but is much smaller than the Coot. Its plumage is brown above and blue-black below. The white stripe on its flanks is characteristic of the species. In adults, the beak is yellow at the tip and then red up to its frontal plate; in young birds, the beak colours are duller. More difficult to see than the Coot, this bird is very shy and often lives in hiding. It builds its nest in emergent vegetation, on dry land, sometimes floating, in low bushes, or higher up in the trees. It can be seen in winter in certain ports on Lake Geneva.
