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"The greatness
of a
nation and its moral
progress can be judged
by the way its animals
are treated." -- Gandhi |
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Purple
Gallinule Blog |
Blog Index:
General
information
Nov 9, 2005, Purple Gallinule with broken leg.
Dec 2,
2005, cast of the broken upper leg was removed
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General Information: |
Region: Americas
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Porphyrio
Scientific Name: Porphyrio martinica
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Description: The Purple Gallinule
measures from 27 to 36 cm. The male weighs from 203 to 305
grams, the female from 142 to 291 grams. The wingspan is 50 to
55 cm. The male and female are the same: a pale blue frontal
shield with a thick bill, colored red with a yellow tip. Head,
neck and entire under parts are a brilliant bluish-purple,
virtually iridescent; back and wings bronzy green and under
tail coverts are white. The legs with long toes are yellow.
Distribution: From Nayarit, Mexico at the Pacific coast
to the Atlantic coast, including Maryland, Delaware, North
Carolina to southern USA including Florida, lower Alabama and
Louisiana along the Gulf of Mexico to Central America as far
south as north Argentina and Peru. Typically, the North
American birds migrate south across the Gulf of Mexico during
the months of Oct and Nov to return during April and May.
South American populations are not usually migratory. Also
found along coastal regions of the Mediterranean Sea during
the summer months.
Habitat: The Purple Gallinule inhabits mainly
subtropical and tropical lowlands and coastal fringes in
wetlands with lush aquatic vegetation, such as, but not
limited to, grassy marshes and overgrown swamps, lagoons, and
ponds. Also found in rice fields and shallow creeks.
Food: Plant material including pondweed, sedges,
willows, water lilies, blooms and buds of the Fireflag plant
(Thalia geniculata), seeds of annual grasses, flowers of
Eichhornia crassipis (water hyacinth) and cultivated rice
grains. They also eat insects such as grasshoppers, beetles,
water bugs, bees and wasps as well as worms, mollusks,
spiders, frogs and even eggs and young of herons and jacanas.
Note: This particular bird in our care feeds on a daily
harvested fresh diet of white larvae found under the bark of
the Poison Apple tree (Manzalina), crickets, beetles,
water-beetles, grasshoppers, black tilapia fish, goldfish,
guppies, snails, kolebra di mispel, tree frogs, and the
advanced stage of tadpoles of all frog species.
 Reproduction
and Development: In North America, breeding occurs during
the May-Aug period whereas in South America, this period may
be extended from Mar-Nov. The birds are monogamous and very
territorial during the breeding season. Bulky nests are built
by both sexes with available plant material on mats of
floating vegetation, water hyacinth, alligator weed, Fireflag
plant or emergent vegetation such as cattails, giant cutgrass
or wild rice. Rice fields are an important nesting habitat.
The nest measures up to 28 cm in width with a cup depth of 9
cm. Often a canopy is built for protection as well as a ramp
leading to the nest. The number of eggs laid varies by
territory, the average being 6 or 7. They are cream to buff
coloured spotted with brown or pale purple. Incubation, by
both sexes is 18-20 days. They are fed by the parents for up
to 7 days and start feeding themselves after that. They are
totally selffeeding at 21 days. The chicks are buffy-brown
overall with brown-olive back, greenish wings; forehead dark
brown and the bill dark olive. Legs and feet are a dull olive.
They moult into a winter plumage after migration but retain
most of their juvenile colouring. The all-white under tail
coverts are conspicuous in all ages. They are capable of
flight at 5-7 weeks.
Adaptations: The Purple Gallinule walks across floating
vegetation to feed, turning over lily pads to find food
underneath. Even though it does not have webbed feet, it swims
and dives easily but stays away from open water to avoid
aquatic predators. Also climbs to feed in bushes and trees up
to 20 m from the ground. Has an affinity for rice fields.
Usually, they remain close to cover but will come out in the
open during the day. It flies rather slowly but direct with
rapid wing beats and dangling legs but raises its legs on
longer flights.
Threats: Since these birds are totally dependant on
wetlands and considering the continuing destruction of the
wetlands in, both North and South America, and the Caribbean
islands, the Purple Gallinule may well be at risk in the
future. Hunted and eaten by man, crocodilians, wild boar, and
hawks.
Status: Although there is little information on current
populations, they are not considered to be globally
threatened.
Zoo Diet: Soft bill gelatin diet, TZ plain carnivore
meat diet, hard boiled eggs, carrots, bean sprouts, Finch mix,
5 large crickets, 10 mealworms and oyster shell grit.
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Continue
reading > Nov 9, 2005 > Gallinule with broken leg > click here |
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