- One of several wading birds, having long, webless toes,
and a frontal shield, belonging to the family Rallidae. They are
remarkable for running rapidly over marshes and on floating plants. The
purple gallinule of America is Ionornis Martinica, that of the Old
World is Porphyrio porphyrio. The common European gallinule (Gallinula
chloropus) is also called moor hen, water hen, water rail, moor coot,
night bird, and erroneously dabchick. Closely related to it is the
Florida gallinule (Gallinula galeata).
Definition
[ n.]