Gallinula chloropus galeata

Also known as American Gallinule, Common Moorhen, Florida Gallinule, Red-Billed Mudhen

American gallinules navigate marshy waters with remarkably long, unwebbed toes that distribute their weight across floating lily pads. Distinctive bright red bill shields and yellow-tipped beaks flash through dense cattail stands as they forage for aquatic seeds, snails, and insects. Parents lead downy black chicks through shallow water within hours of hatching, teaching them to peck at surface vegetation.