Bird of the Week 6/15 - 6/19

This week’s bird is the: Purple Gallinule

1. Is this bird attractive? I’m not sure… It’s very colorful, but it also might be a little over the top. You be the judge.

2. Now, I know what your thinking: “how can I get my hands on this tasty-looking bird?” But not so fast, according to Birds of the World (the wikipedia of bird knowledge), this bird “has a reputation of being unpalatable.” Plus, hunting this bird would be a federal crime.

3. This bird lives across the majority of South America, but its range only extends into a small sliver of the American South. At the northernmost part of its range, this bird is migratory.

4. This bird likes freshwater marshes, and doesn’t seem to mind humans. It also likes rice paddies and other human-built environments.

5. This bird has some creepy feet. Don’t believe me?

Have a great week!