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Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio). Size 43 cm (17 in).Dark purplish blue
plumage with red bill and frontal shield. Leg reddish and undertail coverts
white. Occurs through southern Europe, Africa, South-East Asia through
Australia, New Zealand. Locally common in Pen. Malaysia at low elevations
south to Singapore. Found in disused mining pools ricefields and inland
swamps in small loose parties keeping to reedbeds. Quite shy and readily
walk back to tall reeds to hide when approached.