Saturday, March 29, 2014

Purple Gallinule

The Purple Gallinule (Scientific Name - Porphyrio martinica) is also sometimes known as a "swamp hen". These birds are in the rail family and resemble coots and moorhens. They range from the southern U.S, through the Caribbean and Central America and down into South America, as far south as Argentina. They  have large feet and can be seen walking across floating vegetation.  They have a dark purple neck and underside and a green back. Their bill is red with a yellow tip and they have a blue forehead. Legs and feet are yellow. Photos taken in March 2014 in the Florida Everglades near Weston, Florida.


2 comments:

  1. They don't live in my neighborhood...pretty bird in a big footed kind of way!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes they are quite unique. None in British Columbia either. Cheers!

      Delete