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Purple Swamphen: Supertramp or superspecies?

10,000 Birds

Black-backed Swamphen ( Porphyrio indicus ) in Java, Indonesia, by Ron Knight. Philippine Swamphen. The Philippine birds ( photo ) have chestnut backs and would be called Porphyrio pulverulentus if split. The western Mediterranean birds are bluish-purple all over. Black-backed Swamphen. million years ago, the authors estimate.