'Western Swamphen' Porphyrio porphrio bellus | ||||||
 | | | | | | |
 | ||||
The purplish-blue breast of the Purple Swamphen if seen in shadow or the softer light of overcast sky appears dull blue-black. But under strong light, usually of direct sunlight, but also camera flash, becomes deep purplish-blue. But with the south-western race, intense light also reveals a central panel, throat to mid breast, of a much paler, brighter turquoise-blue; a bright blue with a slighltly greenish tint. This photo, perhaps because taken late in the day when the sun has a warmer tone, has slightly less green, more a cyan tint, than shown in both the mm Field Guide, and in Western Australian Birds (W.A. Museum). Other books appear not to show this plumage. | ||||
| | | | |
 | ||||||
The Purple Swamphen is shown and described pages 96, 97 and 366 of the MM Field Guide to Australian Birds. The range of the race bellus is shown on the accompanying map, together with that of the race melanotus, which is much more widespread across northern and eastern Australia. | Purple Swamphen | |||||
| | | | | | |
| | |