BLACK-BACKED SWAMPHEN

Photographed on Langkawi, April 2017

1149                 BLACK-BACKED SWAMPHEN                Porphyrio indicus                  

MALAYSIA                62

Seen in swampy habitat. 42 cm. Resident across much of Africa, the Mediterranean, and Middle East through S. Asia and to Australasia and Oceania, including Malaysian Peninsula.

PURPLE SWAMPHEN

83       PURPLE SWAMPHEN       Porphyrio melantonus     

Australia   (83)

Also known as Bald coot, Eastern or western swamp hen, Pukeko. Range is eastern half of Australia from Cape York to Tasmania, also sw Western Australia, and top of WA and NT. Found on margins of lakes, swamps and shallow rivers.

Note: 2 subspecies in Australia

melantonus:  most of n and e Australia, including Tassie.

bellus:     sw WA

Subspecies melanotas, photographed on King Island, June 2018