Scientific name: Porphyrio martinicus


The purple gallinule is a "swamp hen" in the rail family, Rallidae. Also known locally as the yellow-legged gallinule.

Their breeding habitat is warm swamps and marshes in southeastern states of the United States and the tropical regions of Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. This species is resident in southern Florida and the tropics, but most North American birds are migratory, wintering south to Argentina.

They are omnivorous – their diet being known to include a wide variety of plant and animal matter, including seeds, leaves and fruits of both aquatic and terrestrial plants, as well as insects, frogs, snails, spiders, earthworms and fish. They have also been known to eat the eggs and young of other birds.

Click for more information on this species at Wikipedia
Press the back button on the browser to return to this page