Purple Swamphen

The Purple Swamphen , or Purple Gallinule , Porphyrio porphyrio, is a large bird in the family Rallidae.

Their breeding habitat is warm reedbeds across southernmost Europe and tropical Asia. There are four subspecies, differing in the plumage colours. The races occur in Europe, P. p. porhyrio, Africa, P. p. madagascariensis, tropical Asia and Australasia, P. p. poliocephalus, and the Philippines P. p. pulverulentis.

There is a similar but much smaller species in North America, the American Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinica.

This chicken-sized bird, with its huge feet, bright plumage and red bill is unmistakeable. It clambers through the reeds, eating the tender shoots.

This species has a very loud explosive call. It will fly short distances with dangling legs.