A black duck-like bird with a white bill and white, unfeathered forehead. The two red knobs on the forehead swell and become more noticable during breeding season.
Juvenile is dull grey-brown and differs from the smaller juvenile Common Moorhen in lacking the white undertail coverts.
Dams, pans and lakes; virtually any stretch of fresh water except fast-flowing rivers.
A harsh metallic 'claak'.