Marsh hen Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a coot found in North America
    water hen; Fulica americana; mud hen; American coot.
  2. noun any of various small aquatic birds of the genus Gallinula distinguished from rails by a frontal shield and a resemblance to domestic hens
    water hen; swamphen; gallinule.

WordNet

Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.), a rail; esp., Rallus elegans of fresh-water marshes, and R. longirostris of salt-water marshes.

Webster 1913