The clever Moorhen ditch a cold and unhospitable Oslo in benefit of an overwhelmingly pleasant and moist Bergen during winter. No wonder!
The adult bird below was photographed at lake Tveitevann in Bergen today. It was ringed as a first calendar year bird at the same site in December 2010, and has returned every winter since. In 2013 and 2014 it was recorded as a breeding bird in Oslo during summer.
The Moorhen is a scarce bird in Hordaland county, and it is far from being a regular breeder. During winter some are seen, and most records are clustered in or near Bergen.
Spending time in Oslo and thereabouts during winter is a risky buisness, especially for Moorhens. Bergen and western Norway is an excellent alternative. An east-west migratory pattern during autumnn is obvious in semi-aquatic, or half-terrestrial species like Moorhens and Water Rails.
Color ringing provides new knowledge to the understanding of bird behaviour and migration. If you spot a color-ringed bird, please report it to: ringmerking.no/cr
Hoodbrid
An at first glance normal looking Hooded Crow might also reveal exciting history. The bird below show several subtle features indicating Carrion Crow involvement. Note scapular shafts being black, and the spread of dark bursting from them. The neck is not as clear cut grey-black as in pure hoodies. Such hooded-like hybrids are probably back-crossed (hoodies breeding with hybrids and from there...). Other more clear-cut hybrids have more influence from Carrion Crows. At present there are at least two different hybrids in Bergen (the other bird), and breedings with hybrid outcome was recorded a few years back (a Hooded adult was photographed feeding an apparent hybrid youngster).
Putative hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crow Corvus corone corone x cornix at lake Tveitevatnet in Bergen, western Norway.
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