Bird of the Month - Black-tailed Native-hen

November 2026

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Photo: J. Starks

Black-tailed Native-hen
They may look like stocky little chooks, but the Black-tailed Native-hen is actually a species of rail, more closely related to the Dusky Moorhen than a chicken.

Black-tailed Native-hens are quite dispersive and can suddenly turn up in their hundreds or even thousands at farm dams and wetlands. They eat a range of seeds, plant material and insects, particularly grasshoppers.

They are also not very car savvy, so watch out in case a ‘chicken’ crosses the road!

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