Purple Swamphen

Porphyrio porphyrio

A vibrant wetland dweller with attitude, this blue-purple beauty struts through reeds on comically oversized feet.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Purple Swamphen is a large, chicken-like, striking wetland bird with deep blue to purple plumage covering most of its body. It has a robust red bill and frontal shield, complemented by long, strong red legs with elongated toes.

Females are smaller than males and have a smaller facial shield. Otherwise, they're similar. Adults and juveniles share similar colouration, though young birds may appear duller. The white undertail coverts contrast sharply with the bird's dark body, creating a distinctive field mark.

Size

Length

45cm to 50cm

Wingspan

90cm to 100cm

Weight

700g to 1000g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Blue Purple

Secondary Colour

Black White

Beak Colour

Red

Leg Colour

Red

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Purple Swamphen can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Purple Swamphen can be found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Purple Swamphen is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Purple Swamphens inhabit a wide range of wetland habitats, including marshes, swamps, and the edges of lakes and rivers. They prefer areas with dense vegetation for cover and foraging.

The species has a vast distribution across parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia. They are particularly common in Australia and New Zealand, where they are known as Pūkeko in Māori.

Elevation Range

Up to 2,500 meters

Climate zones

Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Purple Swamphen. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons