Purple Swamphens

Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus

One pair of Purple Swamphens live here permanently. They usually have two clutches of Chicks in a season late July/August to September/October. The young ones have black beaks and usually you see the family comprising of Mum & Dad, a couple of adolescents and some younger ones. When the chicks grow up some of them are chased away to live elsewhere and sometimes two of them will pair up to form another family.

They can often been seen climbing up and down the trees and along the branches. I believe that they do eat eggs as well as water plant roots which may be why the Willie Wag Tails seem to hate them. More info here