The Purple Swamphen is a large rail. I also saw the purple swamphen in the evening of the next day They roost on platforms constructed in reeds set above the water, on branches over the water, and more rarely on the ground in the reeds. The Australian subspecies is larger and pager than both other subspecies. i like the black duck, too. During the warmer months, in the breeding season, the shield grows brighter again in both sexes. It occurs in India, Australia, New Guinea, Borneo and Indonesia. It is mainly dusky black above, with a broad dark blue collar, and dark blue to purple below. [8], It occurs in India, Australia, New Guinea, Borneo and Indonesia. Those Moorhens are interesting. Their bills look like they've been dipped in red wax, then in yellow. They may move to different locations within their range when resources become scarce. It occurs in India, Australia, New Guinea, Borneo and Indonesia. The Moorhen is quite handsome, and yes...what big feet it has! Western swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio, southwest Europe and northwest Africa; African swamphen, Porphyrio madagascariensis, sub-Saharan continental Africa and Madagascar; Grey-headed swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus, Middle East, through the Indian subcontinent to southern China and northern Thailand It is often confused with the purple swamphen and the Eurasian coot due to similar appearance and Adults may make a quiet hissing noise when their eggs are disturbed. [5] Adult males generally weigh on average around 570 grams and adult females 493 grams. It is often confused with the purple swamphen and the Eurasian coot due to similar appearance and overlapping distributions. Waterfowl's and their chicks. love the orange beak & legs ... what a cutie. [3] The adult dusky moorhen is mainly dark grey-black, with a browner tinge to the upper parts. It has a red frontal shield and yellow-tipped red bill like its Eurasian relative, but lacks the white flank line shown by common moorhen, and has orange-yellow rather than yellow legs. Beautiful ducks photos.Greetings, RW & SK, Nice black duck Carole......good shots again.Greetings, Joop, Beautiful pictures of the moorhen, Carole.They are all perfectly photographed.Greetings Irma. In hot weather they may sit high up in trees. Quite the nice collection of waterfowl! Young birds leave their place of birth in autumn and spring, and may be found in locations not normally frequented by adult birds. I enjoyed all the detail on the birds, and I loved your explanation on my donkey's attitude, I guess we can all have a bad day at times. The New Guinea birds are smaller, at 25–32 centimetres (9.8–12.6 in) in length,[3] than the Australian race 34–38 centimetres (13–15 in). The birds cooperated nicely....great shots Carole! [18] This species builds a bulky nest of reeds or grasses at the water's edge or a few centimetres above the water, often at the base of a Melaleuca and lays a clutch of 5–11 matte whitish eggs that are covered with red-brown dots and splotches. Charles Lucien Bonaparte described Gallinula haematopus in 1856, but this is now a nomen nudum. Nice shots Carole! It will also consume carrion, bread, and droppings from birds including gulls and ducks. The Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio is also called the Pukeko in New Zealand and is a very easily identified gallinule. [6], The dusky moorhen feeds both on land and in water. [18] It is territorial when breeding, but otherwise gregarious. [8], Breeding season is from August to January in the south of Australia, with generally one brood, and January to June in the north, often brooding twice. Sorry about ambient noise, rubbish was … [11] In Australia, they are found all across the eastern states of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland as far north as Cooktown, as well as the eastern part South Australia and the south-western tip of Western Australia. [8][10], Both sexes make a soft mewing noise, or a soft kook noise before and during courtship. Gregory Mathews described two subspecies that have been synonymized—magnirostris from Western Australia and subfrontata from New South Wales. Here are beautiful atmosphere pictures between Carole, and the first and third picture I find really very beautiful. The Pacific Black Duck is handsome. [8], The moorhens frequently flick their conspicuous white and black tail. They do have very big feet.It been a long time since we could leave things unlocked in public spaces!Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne. [3], During autumn and winter, the colour of the frontal shield grows duller in females and young males. Two other water hen species are similar to the Dusky Moorhen but can be easily distinguished. [4] It is also found in parts of Tasmania and South Australia, but are uncommon. Chicks under the age of three months make a repeated shrill piping noise when begging, when an adult approaches with food, and when they are separated from adults. Swimming and preening birds may make a series of short, stacatto, widely spaced noises. Fantastic shots of the Moorhen and Swamphen! [17] They usually live in low-lying areas, although a pair have been found as high up as 1,580 metres in New Guinea, likely having been separated from their flock. As the Purple Swamphen walks, it flicks its tail up and down, revealing its white undertail. Some vagrant, non-breeding birds may be found in New Zealand as well. [2], Three subspecies are recognised: subspecies frontata from southeastern Borneo, the Sunda Islands, Timor and western New Guinea, subspecies neumannii from northern New Guinea, and the nominate subspecies from Australia. It was a grey skies day with a cool breeze blowing; really good to be out and enjoy a change of scenery in Sydney, at Centennial Park "the People's Park". Tapered oval in shape, they measure 53 mm long by 36 mm wide each and have more prominent markings at the larger end. Nicely marked. Those are very cool photos Carole! This call is taken up by birds in surrounding territories and can be heard from over two kilometres away. 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