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Anybody seen a Purple Swamphen lately? (1 Viewer)

Bert

Bert

Birdwatchingalentejo.com

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eBird shows a number of Purple Sw. sightings around Lake Okeechobee. Attempts have been made to extirpate them from Florida because they fear the impact on native birds and wildlife, but they have not been successful, at least so far.

Jim
 
My daughter used to call them big blue chickens when she was little! (Now she is old enough to call them by their correct name). They are pretty much well installed at most wetlands in the Algarve now - after a massive decline in the 60-70's.
 
J. Moore said:
eBird shows a number of Purple Sw. sightings around Lake Okeechobee. Attempts have been made to extirpate them from Florida because they fear the impact on native birds and wildlife, but they have not been successful, at least so far.

Jim
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I wonder what they eat? - down here its practically a staple diet of Reedmace crowns. If they eat the same in the USA I wouldn't have imagined too much negative impact?
 
Simon Wates said:
I wonder what they eat? - down here its practically a staple diet of Reedmace crowns. If they eat the same in the USA I wouldn't have imagined too much negative impact?
Click to expand...

A random grab from the internet on possible impacts:

Little is known of the ecological impacts of Purple Swamphens in Florida. However, they are known to be highly territorial and aggressive, and often fight amongst themselves and with other species over food. In large numbers, these aggressive invaders could have negative impacts on native birds. Large flocks could also cause serious habitat disruption by feeding on native plants. Purple Swamphens especially like to eat spikerush plants (Eleocharis spp.), which are extremely important for creating habitat that supports fisheries in Lake Okeechobee and other aquatic habitats in Florida.

​
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw315

Jim
 
Thanks Jim - As nearly always, birds introduced into areas by man produce problems it seems...yes they certainly throw their weight around too, which together with loud honking noises must scare the hell out of smaller waterbirds. Mind you, I have seen brave Common Moorehens stand up to them!
 
Common names can be very confusing because Porphyrio porphyrio is called both Purple Swamphen and Purple Gallinule depending which books you use and which country you are in, in New Zealand it is a Pukeko. South Africa calls it an African Purple Swamphen and it is also called Purple Moorhen and Purple Coot. The Americans make it worse by calling their Porphyrio martinica a Purple Gallinule. I won't even start with foreign names! We have lots of them in the marshes around Valencia.
 
there are sightings of purple swamphen as far north as georgia now......they might eventually breed in okeefenokee.........anyways i think that they are a species thats here to stay and its too late to eradicate them altogether......ive yet to find any research documenting them preying on the young of other waterbirds in the US (at least enough to negatively impact any native species as of yet)
 
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Simon Wates said:
I wonder what they eat? - down here its practically a staple diet of Reedmace crowns. If they eat the same in the USA I wouldn't have imagined too much negative impact?
Click to expand...

I saw one in New Zealand (if we consider it the same species on this thread) take a decent sized Peacock chick from under the nose of the peahen, so it appears they're capable of a varied diet!
 
Purple Gallinule in Argentina

There were lots in Ibera Wetlands, Northern Argentina, but these were Porphyrula Martinica. They look a bit different!
 

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Larry Wheatland said:
I saw one in New Zealand (if we consider it the same species on this thread) take a decent sized Peacock chick from under the nose of the peahen, so it appears they're capable of a varied diet!
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Pukeko is indeed the very same bird as the European Purple Gallinule and as the introduced species in USA but the local USA species is P. martinica
 
Sunbird24 said:
This site also gives some information; http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw315
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Aha, thanks Sunbird, that site answers my question. Sorry if I was being confusing. I meant that some people consider different forms of Purple Swamphen P. porphyrio to be different species rather than just subspecies. The form in Florida being mostly Grey-headed Swamphen P. (p.) poliocephalus, from Asia. Hope that makes sense :smoke:
 
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