Grey-Headed Swamphen

Grey-headed swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus) is a species of swamphen occurring from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent to southern China and northern Thailand. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen, but was elevated to full species status in 2015; today the purple swamphen is considered a superspecies and each of its six races are designated full species.

Scientific Name : Porphyrio Poliocephalus

Family : Rallidae

Order : Gruiformes

Class : Aves

Type : Rails, Crakes, Gallinules And Coots

Conservation Status : Least concern (LC)

Size : 38 - 50 cm

Compare Size : House crow +

Wingspan : 90 - 100 cm

Weight : 505 - 850 g

Migratory : Resident

Sex Alike : Yes

Nesting Season : June - September

Other Names :

English : Purple Swamphen, Gray-Headed Swamphen

Hindi : कैम

Marathi : जांभळी पाणकोंबडी

Habitat:
Marshes, Reedy swamps and margins, Jheels

Breeding:
Eggs - 3 to 7, Pale yellowish stone to reddish buff, blotched and spotted with reddish brown.

Feeding:
Shoots and other vegetation, as well as insects and mollusks


Identification Features

Male & Female
Head Bluish-grey most on crown and sides rest light-blue; has frontral red colourd shiled with some dark marking along center extending from base of upper mandible
Neck Bluish-grey on sides and nape; sky-blue throat
Belly Purple-blue
Flanks Purple-blue
Breast Sky-blue
Tail Shot; white on underside
Bill Red with some dark marking
Upperparts Bluish-grey
Legs Pinkish-red with some black at joints
toes Pinkish-red; long
Note :
Mostly plumage has shades of blue; Males darker shades than females;

SIGHTINGS

Date Location
2019-02-01 01 Feb 2019 Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan

Similar Birds

(Rails, Crakes, Gallinules And Coots)