Gallinula angulata
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The lesser moorhen (Paragallinula angulata) is a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It is sometimes placed into the genus Gallinula. It is the only member of the genus Paragallinula. The lesser moorhen was formerly placed in the genus Gallinula, but a 2015 molecular genetic study demonstrated that Gallinula was composed of four distinct lineages. The genus was split into four genera: Gallinula (sensu stricto), Paragallinula, Porphyriops, and Tribonyx.
P. angulata is the only known species of Paragallinula which makes Paragallinula a monotypic genus. The name Paragallinula comes from the Greek para 'beside' and the genus Gallinula. It is named for its similarity with the members of Gallinula, but it also indicates its unique genetic lineage.
The lesser moorhen is widely spread across Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding Southern Africa and Madagascar). It was once recorded in the Western Palearctic as a rare vagrant. This species has also been sighted in Brazil, Egypt, Morocco, and Oman.
Lesser moorhen - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 2 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 3 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 5 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 6 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 7 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 8 | Lake Nakuru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 9 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 10 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 11 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 12 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 13 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 14 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 15 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 16 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Moorhen sighting in Etosha National Park on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 242nd most-seen of the 260 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Moorhen in Etosha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January to November, the lowest months. That is one of Etosha National Park's wettest months, with about 50 mm of rain against almost none in June.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lesser Moorhen sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
13th of 16
Of the 16 parks where we can rate Lesser Moorhen sightings, Etosha National Park ranks 13th at under 5%. The best odds are in Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe, about 10%), Ruaha National Park (Tanzania, about 10%) and iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Lesser Moorhen is recorded against all the birds logged in Etosha National Park (11 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
