For the first 20 years that I lived in the Kawartha Lakes the only thing I knew of common moorhens was from pictures I had seen on the internet.

I had never seen one. I loved the photos of the young moorhen chicks and hoped that one day I would get to see them. Then a few years back we finally saw a pair of moorhens right here in the Kawarthas. It was exciting!

They are an odd looking creature with this weird, brilliant red faceplate extending from their beak well up onto their forehead.

This young moorhen chick seems young to be on its own. 

The hen part of their name is appropriate because they do somewhat resemble a chicken in body shape and also in their mannerisms. Then last year we finally got to see a family with young moorhen chicks. They are precious and adorable!

Since then we have been seeing moorhens in multiple places around the........

© Peterborough Examiner