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Birds of Zihuatanejo

CLASS AVES

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Birds (Class Aves)

-Cranes, Rails, and Allies (Order Gruiformes)

-Rails, Gallinules, and Coots (Family Rallidae)

-Swamphens and Blue Gallinules (Genus Porphyrio)

-Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica)


The purple gallinule, known as the waterman or the blue waterfowl, is distinguishable by its bright purplish blue head and underbody and long bright yellow legs with large elongated toes used to walk steadily on floating swamp plants. Purple gallinules are inhabitants of tropical fresh water lowlands such as marshes, lagoons, ponds, rice fields and overgrown swamps (Henderson, 2010) where there is an abundance of emergent aquatic flora. Their diet is made of mainly vegetation and small invertebrates drifting in or on the water and floating plants.

Purple Gallinule

Porphyrio martinica

Diet

  • Omnivorous, feeding on aquatic plants, seeds, shoots, leaves, fruits, and berries.

  • Also eats insects, spiders, snails, crayfish, frogs, small fish, tadpoles, and other aquatic invertebrates.

  • Uses its long toes to walk on floating vegetation and its bill to manipulate food with remarkable dexterity.

Range

  • Found from the southeastern United States through Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and much of South America to northern Argentina.

  • Widespread throughout Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region, where it is a common year-round resident.

  • Inhabits freshwater marshes, swamps, ponds, lakes, canals, and slow-moving rivers with abundant emergent and floating vegetation such as cattails, reeds, and water lilies.

Male / Female

  • Male: Brilliant purple-blue head, neck, and underparts; green back and wings; bright red bill with a pale blue frontal shield; long yellow legs and toes. Slightly larger than the female.

  • Female: Nearly identical in plumage but generally smaller and less robust.

  • Juveniles: Duller olive-brown above with buffy underparts and a duller bill and legs.

  • Sexes cannot be reliably distinguished in the field except by subtle size differences.

Size

  • Length: 26–37 cm (10.2–14.6 in)

  • Wingspan: 50–55 cm (19.7–21.7 in)

  • Weight: 180–300 g (6.3–10.6 oz)

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