George Sanker / Purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) moving across waterlily leaves, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, April

George Sanker / Purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) moving across waterlily covered surface, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, March

Donald M. Jones / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus), Everglades National Park, Florida

Rolf Nussbaumer / American purple gallinule {Porphyrio martinicus} eating Yellow Water Lily flower {Nuphar lutea}Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton, Texas, USA.

Rolf Nussbaumer / American purple gallinule {Porphyrio martinicus} adult on Yellow Water Lily pads {Nuphar lutea} Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton, Texas, USA.

Tom Vezo / Purple gallinule {Porphyrio martinicus} perched in a tree Florida, USA Everglades National Park Florida

Tom Vezo / Purple gallinule {Porphyrio martinicus} on a water lily in Florida, USA Everglades National Park, Florida

Tom Vezo / American purple gallinule. (Porphyrio martinicus) Florida Everglades, USA.

Mitsuaki Iwago / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) walking across lily pads, North America

George Sanker / American Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) displaying brightly coloured wings. Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, March.

Juan Manuel Borrero / Illustration of Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio). Pencil and watercolor painting.

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) pair mating. Christchurch, New Zealand, October. Sequence 3 of 3.

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) pair mating. Christchurch, New Zealand, October. Sequence 2 of 3.

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) pair mating. Christchurch, New Zealand, October. Sequence 1 of 3.

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) attempting to mate. Christchurch, New Zealand, October.

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus). Christchurch, New Zealand, October.

Mark Carwardine / Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli) Burwood Bush Takahe Rearing Unit, near Te Anua, New Zealand, Endangered species

Loic Poidevin / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio potphyrio) amongst reeds, Extremadura, Spain, July

Andy Trowbridge / Wild South Island Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) sitting on nest. Endangered species. Murchsion Mountains, Fiordland National Park, South Island,New Zealand. December.

Juan Carlos Munoz / American Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus). Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, February.

George Sanker / Purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) feeding on waterlily bulb, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, March

George Sanker / Purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) feeding on waterlily stem, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, March

Brent Stephenson / Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) feeding on grass, Tiritiri Matangi Island, Auckland, New Zealand.

Barry Mansell / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrula martinica) Everglades, South Florida, USA, May

Barry Mansell / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrula martinica) Everglades National Park, South Florida, USA, May

Barry Mansell / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrula martinica) balancing on stem, Everglades National Park, South Florida, USA, May

Stephen Belcher / Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli) foraging, South Island, New Zealand

Stephen Belcher / Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli), South Island, New Zealand

Stephen Belcher / Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli), South Island, New Zealand

Stephen Belcher / Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli) transport boxes, South Island, New Zealand

Martin Willis / Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) reflected in the water as it feeds chick, Mongers Lake, Western Australia, Australia

Jonathan Harrod / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) pair mating, Christchurch, New Zealand

Jonathan Harrod / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) chick hatching, Christchurch, New Zealand

Jonathan Harrod / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) males eagerly pursuing female, Christchurch, New Zealand

Jonathan Harrod / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) pair courting, Christchurch, New Zealand

Mark Hughes / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) sitting on fence post, East Clive, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Brent Stephenson / Pukeko / Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) walking on short grass. Tiritiri Matangi Island, Auckland, New Zealand, September.

Brent Stephenson / Close-up of Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) plumage of mantle, wing, and flanks. Tiritiri Matangi Island, Auckland, New Zealand, September.

Brent Stephenson / Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) feeding on grasses which it is holding in its foot. Tiritiri Matangi Island, Auckland, New Zealand, September.

Brent Stephenson / Pukeko / Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) fluffed up showing characteristic white 'warning' undertail coverts. Tiritiri Matangi Island, Auckland, New Zealand, September.

Robin Chittenden / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) amongst reeds, Algarve, Portugal, October

Konrad Wothe / Two Purple swamphens (Porphyrio porphyrio) feeding on grass seeds, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia, November

Konrad Wothe / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) feeding on grass seeds, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia, November

LYNN M. STONE / American purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) in aquatic vegetation, Lakeland, Florida, USA

LYNN M. STONE / American purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) hunting in aquatic vegetation, Lakeland, Florida, USA

LYNN M. STONE / American purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) stretching wings while hunting in aquatic vegetation, Lakeland, Florida, USA

Steve Gettle / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) standing on lily pads, Florida

Colin Monteath / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) near Akaroa, Banks Peninsula, Canterbury, New Zealand

Steve Nicholls / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) pair on nest, captive, occurs Africa

Brent Stephenson / Purple Swamphen / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio) feeding its chick bits of grass stem. Tawharanui Regional Park, Auckland, New Zealand, October.

Mark Hughes / Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli) foraging, Kapiti Island Nature Reserve, New Zealand

Donald M. Jones / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus), Everglades National Park, Florida

Donald M. Jones / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus), Everglades National Park, Florida

Donald M. Jones / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus), Everglades National Park, Florida

Colin Monteath / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus), Rotorua, New Zealand

Colin Monteath / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) wading through pond, Rotorua, New Zealand

Michele Westmorland / The flightless Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) ringed and with chick, Tiritiri Matangi bird conservancy. Protected island in the Northern New Zealand. January 2008.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) walking on lily pads, Fennessey Ranch, Refugio, Coastal Bend, Texas Coast, USA

Vincent Grafhorst / Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio madagascariensis) in wetland habitat, Gaborone Game Reserve, Botswana

Mike Potts / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) drinking at water's edge, Lake Herdsman, Perth, Western Australia.

Chris Gomersall / Purple swamphen / gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio) Rio Formosa Nature Reserve, Algarve, Portugal, March

Chris Gomersall / Purple swamphen / gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio) feeding on reed stem or rhizome, Rio Formosa Nature Reserve, Algarve, Portugal, March 2008

Chris Gomersall / Purple swamphen / gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio) on reeds, Rio Formosa Nature Reserve, Algarve, Portugal, March

Donald M. Jones / Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) at waters edge, Everglades National Park, Florida

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio) landing, Christchurch, New Zealand, June

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio) by water, Christchurch, New Zealand, June

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio) with native Cabbage trees (Cordyline australis) behind, Christchurch, New Zealand, July

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio) Christchurch, New Zealand, July

Andrew Walmsley / Two Pukekos (Porphyrio porphyrio) amongst mallards, with houses behind, Christchurch, New Zealand, July

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio) carrying food, Christchurch, New Zealand, June

Rod Williams / Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli hochstetteri) Tiritiri Matangi Is, Hauraki Gulf, North Is, New Zealand, Endangered Species, March 2OO9

Juan Carlos Munoz / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) amongst reeds in wetlands, Andalucia, Spain, March

Juan Carlos Munoz / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) walking past Flag irises on edge of marshland, Andalucia, Spain, March

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) foraging and feeding a chick, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand, January

Andrew Walmsley / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) foraging and feeding a juvenile, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand, January

Jouan & Rius / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), Murray riverland, South Australia, Australia

Jouan & Rius / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), Murray riverland, South Australia

Jouan & Rius / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) Murray riverland, South Australia, Australia

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Takahe (Porphyrio mantelli), extinct in the wild, Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand

Thomas Marent / Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) wading, Bharatpur National Park, India

Ross and Diane Armstrong / Pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) mother with chicks, Otorohanga, New Zealand

Rob Tilley / American Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus), Everglades NP, Florida, USA

Roger Powell / Purple Swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} preening, Victoria, Australia

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} standing in lake, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} ruffling feathers at lake edge, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} standing in lake, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} wading in lake, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} standing under vegetation at lake edge, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} standing in lake, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} ruffling feathers at lake edge, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} preening feathers at lake edge, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} wading along lake edge, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} preening feathers in lake, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} standing in lake, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} ruffling feathers in lake, Donana NP, Sevilla, Spain

Rob Tilley / American purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) on leafy branches, Everglades NP, Florida, USA. March