The purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) is a swamphen in the genus Porphyrio. It is a rail species, placing it into the family Rallidae. It is also known locally as the yellow-legged gallinule. An adult purple gallinule has purple-blue plumage that will shine green and turquoise when in good lighting. Adults also have a pale blue shield on their forehead, which connects with the red and yellow bill. Darkness or low light can dim the bright purple-blue plumage of the adult to make them look dusky or brownish, although the forehead shield color differentiates them from similar species such as common gallinules. Immature purple gallinules are a brown-bronze color, with purple feathers on chest, and the bill and forehead shield is pale in color. Juvenile birds are light brown with hints of green-bronze on the wings and back, and white under-tail coverts.
Purple gallinules have long toes that help them walk onto floating vegetation, by distributing their weight across a large surface area. They have an anisodactyl toe arrangement that also helps them to cling to plant stems. Adults have bright yellow legs and feet, immatures have brown-yellowish legs and feet, and juveniles have brown legs and feet. When they fly, their legs hang down. They usually fly short distances. Purple gallinules have floating nests within the dense vegetation along the shallow margins of lakes, rivers, and marshes' shorelines. They lay between five and ten eggs that are buff or pale pink with brown and purple spots. Purple gallinules' nest and territories are defended by the monogamous pair, and the juveniles remain in the territory to help care for siblings. Purple gallinules are omnivorous ground feeders. There is a variety of plant and animal matter within their diet. Some of the foods they consume are seeds, leaves and fruits of both aquatic and terrestrial plants, insects, frogs, snails, earthworms, and fish. They have also been known to prey upon the eggs and young of other bird species.
7 май 2022
