Purple Gallinule

Overview

Purple Gallinule: Medium, chicken-like marsh bird with purple-blue upperparts washed with iridescent green, deep blue underparts. Forehead is pale blue; bill is red and yellow-tipped. Undertail coverts are white. Legs are yellow with very long toes. The flight is labored and slow with dangling legs.

Range and Habitat

Purple Gallinule: Found in the south Atlantic and Gulf states, and casually as far northward as Maine, New York, Wisconsin, and south throughout the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America to Brazil. Preferred habitats include lakes, pools, waterways, and wet marshes.

INTERESTING FACTS

It swims on the surface of water like a duck and walks on floating plants like a chicken. The Purple Gallinule, despite appearing to be an awkward flier, regularly turns up in northern states and southen Canada. It has even been found numerous times in Europe and South Africa. They often use their feet to hold food while they are eating.