Afghanistan (B) (NB), Algeria (B), American Samoa (B), Angola, Australia (B), Azerbaijan (B) (NB), Bangladesh, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China (mainland), Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Côte dIvoire, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska) (B) (NB), Egypt (B), Ethiopia, Fiji (B), France (B), Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-bissau, India, Indonesia, Iran [Islamic Republic of] (B), Iraq (B) (NB), Italy (B) (NB), Kazakhstan (B), Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius (E), Morocco (B), Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Caledonia (B), New Zealand (B), Niger, Nigeria, Niue (B), Pakistan, Palau (B), Papua New Guinea (B), Philippines, Portugal (B) (NB), Russia (European) (B), Rwanda, Samoa (B), Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands (B), South Africa, Spain (B) (NB), Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic (B), Tanzania [United Republic of], Thailand, Timor-Leste (B) (NB), Togo, Tonga (B), Tunisia (B), Turkey (B) (NB), Turkmenistan (B), Uganda, Vanuatu (B), Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Vagrant to Austria, Belgium, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (China), Hungary, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Norway, Oman, Poland, Somalia, St Helena, United Arab Emirates.
Northern and eastern Australia, from the Kimberley to Cape York, south to Tasmania and Kangaroo Island and Eyre Peninsula, SA. Also south-western Australia.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 780,000 - 2,900,000 (2010).
Status LC
Habitat loss through wetland drainage, introduction of exotic weeds, pesticides and hunting are the main threats. Also susceptible to avian influenza and botulism.
Western Swamphen (Porphyrio) [XC676921]
by Xavier Riera from Casale Litta, Provincia di Varese, Lombardia, Italy (call, nocturnal flight call)
(Porphyrio porphyrio) [XC521464]
by jesus carrion from Lattes, H\u00e9rault, Occitanie, Spain (call)
Breeding Season (Guide)
July - December in south, after rain in north.
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Nest
A open structure composed of reeds, rushes and other plant-material, on a platform of broken-down reeds or in a tussock.
Eggs (Guide)
3 - 8; buff to pale green, spotted and blotched with red-brown and purple; oval; about 50 x 36 mm. Incubation: 23 - 29 days; by the group.
Young
Semi-precocial, nidifugous.
Subspecies
Subspecies madagascariensis, pulverulentus and poliocephalus (incorporating all remaining subspecies except nominate) have at times been considered separate species. Subspecies melanotus and bellus too might be separate species. Numerous other subspecies described.
Porphyrio porphyrio was split into Porphyrio porphyrio, Porphyrio indicus, Porphyrio madagascariensis, Porphyrio melanotus, Porphyrio poliocephalus and Porphyrio pulverulentus by Sangster et al. (1998) but this is not yet recognised by BirdLife International.
Subspecies melanotus, Australia except in the southern regions, and New Zealand, and bellus, south-western Australia, which is paler, more turquoise, with a square-cut shield.
The following 13 subspecies are recognised:
porphyrio (Linnaeus, 1758) - Eastern and southern Spain, southern France and Sardinia to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
madagascariensis (Latham, 1801) - Egypt, sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, African Swamphen (Porphyrio madagascariensis).
caspius Hartert, 1917 - Caspian Sea, north-western Iran and Turkey. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Grey-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus).
seistanicus Zarudny and Härms, 1911 - Iraq and southern Iran to Afghanistan, Pakistan and north-western India. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Grey-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus).
poliocephalus (Latham, 1801) - India and Sri Lanka through Bangladesh, Andamans, Nicobars and northern Myanmar to south-central China (Yunnan) and northern Thailand. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Grey-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus).
viridis Begbie, 1834 - Southern Myanmar, southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia through Indochina to southern China. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Grey-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus).
indicus Horsfield, 1821 - Greater Sundas to Bali and Sulawesi. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Black-backed Swamphen (Porphyrio indicus).
pulverulentus Temminck, 1826 - Philippines. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Philippine Swamphen (Porphyrio pulverulentus).
pelewensis Hartlaub and Finsch, 1872 - Palau Is. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Australian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus).
melanopterus Bonaparte, 1856 - Moluccas and Lesser Sundas to New Guinea. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Australian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus).
bellus Gould, 1841 - South-western Australia. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Australian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus).
melanotus Temminck, 1820 - Northern and eastern Australia and Tasmania to New Zealand, Kermadec Is and Chatham Is. Migrates to New Guinea. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Australian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus).
samoensis Peale, 1848 - Admiralty Is south to New Caledonia and east to Samoa. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Australian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus).
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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