From Opus

Photo by gigo
Location: Everglades National Park, Florida, USA

Alternative name: Yellow-legged Gallinule

Porphyrio martinica

Disambiguation: For the species Porphyrio porphyrio, see Purple Swamphen

[edit] Identification

Red bill with yellow tip, head and underparts deep violet-purple, back bronzy green, pale blue forehead shield, and white band on the flanks. The legs are yellow, very conspicuous in flight. Immatures are drab, dark above and pale below; no side stripe; dark bill.

[edit] Distribution

Southeastern US to northern Argentina; also found in the West Indies.

[edit] Taxonomy

A monotypic species.

[edit] South Georgia Gallinule, Porphyrula georgica¹

Invalid taxon. Once described as an independent species, Porphyrula georgica, the South Georgia Gallinule, was later shown to just be an aberrant Purple Gallinule, and as such is considered synonymous with Porphyrio martinica.

[edit] Habitat

Lives in freshwater swamps, marshes, and ponds.

[edit] Behaviour

Swims, wades, and climbs bushes. When walking, it flirts white undertail coverts; when swimming, pumps head. Voice is a henlike cackling "kek, kek, kek" given while flying; also gutteral notes.

[edit] References

1. Meyer de Schauensee, Rodolphe. 1966. The Species of Birds of South America and Their Distribution. Narberth, PA: Academy of Natural Sciences.

[edit] External Links