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7

Western Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) Alternate name(s): "Purple Swamphen", "Purple Gallinule", "Sultanabird" German name(s): "Purpurhuhn" Size: 45-50 cm; wing span ca. 95 cm Weight: 700 g (average)

Europe: Family Group 7 Family Group 7 Table Western Swamphen Common Moorhen Eurasian Coot Red-knobbed Coot Baillon's Crake Water Rail Little Bustard Common Crane Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description 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. Twitcher's tip 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.

Taxonomy, classification 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.

Range, habitat, finding this species 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 . 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.

Sightings 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.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

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]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

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.

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