Cederberg Wilderness Area
Western Cape · Best Sep to Apr
9 places
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Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus
The common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) (also known as the waterhen and as the swamp chicken) is a bird species in the family Rallidae.
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Recorded in Western Cape~2,584 records
Curve from 4,167 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Common Moorhen is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
4,167 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Common Moorhen
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
Zwartberg View Mountain Lodge
Oudtshoorn
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Gemsbok · Greater kudu
Gives back to Wolwekraal Nature Reserve
From R 5,060 a night
Barry House on Riverton
Robertson
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome
Gives back to Pietersfontein Conservancy
From R 1,155 a night
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Black wildebeest · Bontebok
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 5,636 a night
Swartberg Nature Reserve (Die Hel)
Swartberg Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome
From R 630 a night
Bliss on the Bay (Pringle Bay)
Pringle Bay
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome · Southern right whale
From R 4,640 a night
Melkkamer Homestead, De Hoop
De Hoop Nature Reserve
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · Southern right whale
Price on request
Marloth Nature Reserve
Marloth Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,180 a night
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Forest biome
From R 2,170 a night
De Hoop Collection
De Hoop Nature Reserve
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · Southern right whale
Price on request
Robberg Nature Reserve
Robberg Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome · Cape fur seal
From R 1,560 a night
Cederberg - Kliphuis
Cederberg Wilderness Area
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 180 a night
Lark House
Glencairn, Cape Town
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
Price on request
Grootvadersbosch Campsites
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome · Spekboom
From R 300 a night
Grootvadersbosch Cabins
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome · Spekboom
From R 1,460 a night
Luiperd & Rooikat Cottages
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 1,750 a night
Bakoorvos & Silwervos Cottages
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 1,750 a night
Coot, Shoveler, Egret & Moorhen Cottages
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,990 a night
Algeria Cottages
Cederberg Wilderness Area
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,990 a night
Scolopia Cottage
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome · Spekboom
From R 1,780 a night
Kingfisher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,500 a night
Flamingo Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,430 a night
Oystercatcher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,430 a night
Sandpiper Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,430 a night
Rietdak Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area
Common Moorhen recorded here · Fynbos biome
From R 1,580 a night
The Cape Winelands
Next stop
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek vineyards, an hour up the N1
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Common Moorhen
Hosts have recorded the Common Moorhen at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Anysberg Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Gallinula chloropus
Records
4,167
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Common Moorhen on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Common Moorhen in Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Common Moorhen at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve and Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Common Moorhen in South Africa?
The Common Moorhen is most recorded in Western Cape (62% of records), Gauteng (19% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (8% of records), based on 4,167 iNaturalist observations. 50 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Common Moorhen on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Common Moorhen?
The Common Moorhen is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Common Moorhen?
The common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) (also known as the waterhen and as the swamp chicken) is a bird species in the family Rallidae. It is distributed across many parts of the Old World.