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Western Swamphen
(Porphyrio porphyrio)
: "Purple Swamphen", "Purple Gallinule", "Sultanabird"
German name(s): "Purpurhuhn"
Size: 45-50 cm; wing span ca. 95 cm
Weight: 700 g (average)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Western Swamphens are large waterhens with purple-blue
plumage.
The front is purple; wings, rump, vent and uppertail are blue.
The facial shield and bill are red. The legs and feet are
orange. The undertail coverts are white. In-flight the legs
often dangle conspicuously under the tail.
Juveniles
have duller colours than
adults
and no or little red on bill or facial shield yet.
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Twitcher's tip |
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The difference between a Western Swamphen and a
Common Moorhen is
that the former
has one white spot, while the latter has two on its undertail. This
provides birdwatchers with an easy method to distinguish in particular
immature birds of the two species.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Western
Swamphen at Wikipedia .
Click here for classification information
The former "Purple Swamphen" has been split up into 6 different
species. The Western Swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio, was considered
to be the nominate race of that former species.
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Western Swamphen is available
HERE
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Western Swamphens are a sedentary species. Their range is
limited to parts of south-western Europe, small areas in
north-western Africa near the Strait of Gibraltar, and
parts of near-coastal Tunisia.
In Europe the range of the Western Swamphen is
limited to parts of the southern half of Iberia, wetlands
near the Mediterranean coastline in southern France, some
of the Balearic Islands and Sardinia.
Western Swamphens have a preference for well-vegetated
wetlands around freshwater lakes (including ponds in
gardens and urban parks) and in swamps and marshes.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
J. Pires reports spotting Western
Swamphens along the Guadiana river in Badajoz, Spain,
and in Elvas, Alentejo, Portugal, in July 2018. They were
found at Elvas, Alentejo, Portugal, again in August 2019.
Others were seen near Mora, Evora, Portugal, in the timeframe
October/November 2019. Another was found at Badajoz, Spain,
in November 2021.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this page
has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Frontal view of a Western Swamphen
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Elvas, Alentejo, Portugal, August 2019]
Near-frontal view of a Western Swamphen
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Elvas, Alentejo, Portugal, July 2018]
Near-frontal view of a Western Swamphen
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Spain, November 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Western Swamphen
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Spain, November 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Western Swamphen
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Elvas, Alentejo, Portugal, July 2018]
Lateral view of a Western Swamphen
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2019]
Two Western Swamphens together; the near-dorsal view of the
bird in front shows clearly the characteristic single, large
white undertail spot
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2019]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Frontal view of a juvenile Western Swamphen
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Guadiana river, Badajoz, Spain, July 2018]
Western Swamphen chick ducking for cover
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Elvas, Alentejo, Portugal, July 2018]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.