Common Gallinule Feeding On Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Cayuga Lake NYS Stock Photo

The common gallinule Gallinula galeata is a bird in the family Rallidae. It lives around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands in the Americas. The common gallinule is one of the most conspicuous rail species in North America. The gallinule has dark plumage apart from the white undertail, yellow legs and a red frontal shield. The young are browner and lack the red shield. It has a wide range of gargling calls and will emit loud hisses when threatened.