Songs & Calls
A loud, penetrating ‘kee-ow’, as well as some softer clucking between members of a group while feeding. Bird call recorded by Marc Anderson.
Local Notes
In groups they guard their hidden nest,
French soldiers strutting, in plumed crest.
They peck and wade through plant and beast,
From shore to pond, a roaming feast.
With pecking order, bold and sly,
They thrive where human changes lie.
Yet come the spring, I curse their tread,
My garden greens, now torn and dead.
by Samuel Herren
Bird Overview
Unlike many wetland species which have dull plumage to aid camouflage among the rank vegetation, the Purple Swamphen has a resplendent purple-blue neck, breast and belly, and a gaudy, oversized bill and frontal shield, both of which are bright red, as are its beady eyes. And when a Swamphen walks away from you, it usually flicks its tail up and down to reveal a gleaming white undertail, which contrasts with the bird’s black upperparts. The entire combination is dazzling when ambling across a sunlit grassy sward.
Identification
The Purple Swamphen is a large rail. It is mainly dusky black above, with a broad dark blue collar, and dark blue to purple below. As the Purple Swamphen walks, it flicks its tail up and down, revealing its white undertail. The bill is red and robust, and the legs and feet orange-red.
Credit Birdlife Australia
