Purple Swamphen

What the Purple Swamphen sounds like

Recorded by Joost van Bruggen · Flight call · Área Metropolitana de Sevilla (near Isla Mayor), Sevilla, Andalucía, Spain · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Tanguy Loïs · Call · Comarca Metropolitana de Sevilla (near Seville), Seville, Andalusia, Spain · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Pascal Christe · Call · Chavornay, Jura-Nord vaudois, Vaud, Switzerland · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

When to see the Purple Swamphen

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is January, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Purple Swamphen

The map shades 78 countries with regular records, and 10 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Ukraine, Mali, Palestinian Territories, Wallis & Futuna.

About the Purple Swamphen

The western swamphen is a species of swamphen in the rail family Rallidae, one of the six species of purple swamphen. This chicken-sized bird, with its large feet, bright plumage and red bill and frontal shield is easily recognisable in its native range. It used to be considered the nominate subspecies of the purple swamphen, but is now recognised as a separate species. The western swamphen is found in wetlands in Spain, Portugal, southeastern France, Italy and northwestern Africa.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Purple GallinulePorphyrio martinicaThe purple gallinule is a medium-sized rail, measuring 26–37 cm (10–15 in) in length, spanning 50–61 cm (20–24 in) across the wings and weighing 141–305 g (5.0–10.8 oz). South Island TakahePorphyrio hochstetteriThe South Island takahē is the largest living member of the family Rallidae. Allen's GallinulePorphyrio alleniThey are similar in size to the only slightly larger water rail.