Australasian swamphen

Australasian swamphen
Pūkeko
Tiritiri Matangi, New Zealand
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Porphyrio
Species:
P. melanotus
Binomial name
Porphyrio melanotus
Temminck, 1820
Synonyms

Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus

The Australasian swamphen, also known as the pūkeko (Porphyrio melanotus), is a striking and socially complex bird endemic to New Zealand and other parts of Australasia, including eastern Indonesia (the Moluccas, Aru and Kai Islands), Papua New Guinea, and Australia. A member of the Rallidae family, the pūkeko is part of the diverse order Gruiformes, which includes species with similar characteristics such as cranes and other rail species.[1] Within the Australasian swamphen species, five recognised subspecies exist, with P. p. melanotus being the most common and widely distributed in New Zealand. They display phenotypic characteristics typical of rails: relatively short wings and strong, elongated bills, adapted to its semi-aquatic lifestyle in wetlands.[1]

The pūkeko is renowned for its distinctive blue-purple plumage, striking red frontal shield, and strong red legs.[2] As a non-passerine bird, it is often found in swamps, marshes, and other wet lowland areas, though its habitat has expanded to include pastures, roadside verges, and farmland, due to significant landscape changes in New Zealand over the last 150 years.[3] Unlike many other wetland birds, the pūkeko is highly opportunistic and adaptable, thriving in both natural and human-modified environments.[3] Its diet reflects this adaptability, consisting primarily of plant material such as grass stems, shoots, and leaves, but also including animal matter like invertebrates and, occasionally, the young of other bird species.[4]

One of the most intriguing aspects of the pūkeko's biology is its social structure and breeding behaviour. Classified as a communal gallinule, pūkeko often breed in social groups rather than pairs. These groups typically consist of three to nine individuals, including both males and females, which all contribute to territory defence, nesting, and chick rearing.[2][5] Pūkeko exhibit a linear dominance hierarchy within these groups that is reinforced by physical traits, such as the size of the bird's frontal shield, which serves as a signal of social dominance.[6]

  1. ^ a b Gaspar, Julien; Trewick, Steve A.; Gibb, Gillian C. (2024). "De-novo assembly of four rail (Aves: Rallidae) genomes: A resource for comparative genomics". Ecology and Evolution. 14 (7): e11694. Bibcode:2024EcoEv..1411694G. doi:10.1002/ece3.11694. ISSN 2045-7758. PMC 11255403. PMID 39026944.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :10 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).