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Purple Gallinule (15)

Porphyrio martinica

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Details: immature, outside normal range

Ingleside - This out of range Florida bird has been around for weeks and with leaves gone it has been easier to find. Last night we had a hard freeze which had the bird not in its usual area. You won't see many shots of this species enjoying a Canadian winter. It is very healthy at this time and can fly no problem. It is feeding on dead fish, a frog (when it was warmer) aquatic vegetation and wild grapes. Those huge feet allow it to move very easily on the ice. Attempts by others to retrieve the bird so it can overwinter in a rehabilitation facility failed today. It is still too healthy and eluded its captors.

Date uploaded: Nov 21 2023

Comments (1):
Chris: Hope he makes it. I remember a Common Moorhen tried to overwinter in Dorval, and was eating popcorn at a movie theatre into December.

Purple Gallinule (15)

Porphyrio martinica

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

📍 Map

Details: juvenile, outside normal range

Oshawa - The bird has been present for several days and remains in a tight area for viewing but you may be waiting for an hour or two while it makes the rounds in the cattails. I waited and it walked very close several times, once at 3 metres. I got it as soon as I arrived but after 15 minutes of on again off again viewing it disappeared and I left after an additional hour of waiting.

Date uploaded: Nov 10 2022

Comments (6):
Chris: What a find. I don’t recall details on Canadian records…but assume very rare.
BrianMorin: There have been a few Ontario records, usually juveniles, but they are still rare. This was a life bird for many new birders and a new Ontario bird for me. I missed an adult five years ago despite two attempts. Yesterday the bird was literally seconds from being lunch for a Cooper's Hawk. The bird had it firmly clutched in its talons and was taking off when it was startled to see an observer very close by. It dropped the bird and the observer picked it up, examined it and noting no issues, released it into the cattails. That's as close as it gets.