Moorhen

The moorhen is a distinctive species, with dark plumage apart from the white undertail, yellow legs and a red frontal shield. The young are browner and lack the red shield. The frontal shield of the adult has a rounded top and fairly parallel sides; the tailward margin of the red unfeathered area is a smooth waving line. 

The common moorhen gives a wide range of gargling calls and will emit loud hisses when threatened.A midsized to large rail, it can range from 30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 in) in length and span 50 to 62 cm (20 to 24 in) across the wings.

Family
Rails (Rallidae)
Latin Name
Gallinula chloropus
Further reading
Wikipedia
Moorhen

When the bird was spotted

Date Location Title Seen by Interestingness
Germany, Kandern Pool of former clay pit Hühnerhabicht ****
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Pinchinthorpe b.m.stokesley *
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Stokesley b.m.stokesley
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Margrove Ponds b.m.stokesley *
Germany, Kandern Swimming in pond of biotope "former clay pit" Hühnerhabicht **
Germany, Kandern pond at tennis court Hühnerhabicht ***
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors River Leven Stokesley b.m.stokesley
Germany, Kandern moorhen with 4 young ones in pod near tennis courts Hühnerhabicht *
Germany, Kandern in the pond near tennis courts Hühnerhabicht ***
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Hemlington Lake b.m.stokesley
Spain, Mallorca La Gola b.m.stokesley
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Stewart Park b.m.stokesley
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Saltholme mike421
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Fairy Dell mike421
France, Leymen On the small pond between rue de Hagenthal and rue de Liebenswiler mike421 ****
Switzerland, not specified In the ponds by the zoo mike421