The purple gallinule (Porphyrula martinica) is a swamp hen in the rail family – it is a brightly coloured marsh bird that is about the size of a chicken. It has blue and green feathers, long yellow legs, very long toes and a red bill with a yellow tip. The purple gallinule is not a very good flyer, but it is an excellent wader. It swims on the surface of water like a duck and walks on floating plants like a chicken. It uses its long toes to distribute its weight, and it can even walk on lily pads. It is resident in North and Latin America.
