As I arrived by the pond this morning, two moorhens seemed to be having a dispute, squeaking and chasing. Then, another two individuals took it more seriously and fought in the water, feet to each others chest, trying to push each other underwater, and pecking each others bills furiously, while flapping their wings for balance. It was uncomfortable viewing and I filmed half a minute. I wish I had carried on, as the fight ended shortly after, both moorhens exhausted but unharmed, and, after a quick chase, the resident moorhen came back to its territory by the lake island. Coots get the press for their aggressiveness, but Moorhens are not much behind.
What savagery!
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