Purple Swamphen

Purple Swamphen
P. p. poliocephalus
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae Genus: Porphyrio Species: porphyrio
Binomial name
Porphyrio porphyrio

Their breeding habitat is warm reedbeds across southernmost Europe, Africa, tropical Asia, and Australasia. There are six or more subspecies, depending on the authority, which differ in the plumage colours.

The races are; P. p. porhyrio in Europe, P. p. madagascariensis in Africa, P. p. poliocephalus, in tropical Asia, P. p. melanotus in much of Australasia, P. p. indicus in Indonesia and P. p. pulverulentis in the Philippines.

European birds are overall purple-blue, African and south Asian birds have a green back, and Australasian and Indonesian birds have black backs and heads. The Philippines subspecies is pale blue with a brown back.

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 and frontal shield 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.

Reference