Purple Moorhen (Gallinula Chloropus)
As the name indicates, the bird is more
or less the size of a village hen. It is purple-blue in colour with
long red legs and toes. The bill is also red and the head is bald.
Both the males and the females look alike. Large flocks can be seen
near water bodies and swampy reed-beds.
¤ Easily Traceable
The bird is found throughout the plains of the Indian Union,
Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka. The bird is very much like
waterfowl in its habits. It also jerks its head and tail forward as it
moves and flying is very much like waterfowl. Occasionally it climbs
up the reed system in a very awkward manner.
It’s food consists primarily of shoot and vegetable matter, but
also eats insects and mollusks. It is a little unpopular with the
farmers as it affects the young paddy crops. The courtship behaviour
is very interesting, the male holds the water weeds in his bill and
bows to female with loud chuckles. The nesting season is from June to
September and female lays three to seven eggs, which are of pale
yellowish to reddish in colour and may sometimes have reddish brown
blotches and spots. |
