Purple Swamphen

Description:

The Purple Swamphen has a "resplendent purple-blue neck, breast and belly, and a gaudy, oversized bill and frontal shield, both of which are bright red, as are its beady eyes. And when a Swamphen walks away from you, it usually flicks its tail up and down to reveal a gleaming white rump, which contrasts with the bird’s black upperparts." (Birdlife Australia)

Habitat:

Perched on trampled bulrush in the water at the Waste Water Wetlands.

Notes:

There has been few occasions when I have not seen a single Purple Swamphen at these wetlands. Mostly they are around, and there are many and generally they are quite noisy. When they spot you, they tend to take off and land on the other side, and hide deeper within the bulrush. This particular one actually let me get within 5m of it...and stayed there :)