General Description
Body blue-black with purple-blue sides and underparts. Forehead and bill bright red. Tail white underneath. Legs long and red-brown. Body up to 50 cm long.
Biology
Purple Swamphens feed on aquatic vegetation and invertebrates. They also graze on grasses near wetlands.
Habitat
Freshwater wetlands and swamps, occasionally urban areas with ponds.
Coastal shores
Distribution guide
Australia.
Species Group
Birds › Coots, rails and swamphens
Max Size
50 cm
Diet
Omnivore
Commercial Species
Yes
Global Dispersal
Native to Australia
Conservation Status
- DSE Advisory List : Not listed
- EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
- IUCN Red List : Least Concern
Author
Wayne Longmore is a Senior Collection manager of terrestrial vertebrates at Museum Victoria.
Author
Rory O'Brien is a Collection Manager of terrestrial vertebrates at Museum Victoria.
Cite this page as:
Longmore, N. W. & O'Brien, R., 2011, Purple Swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/7916
