Endangered and Disappearing Birds of Appalachia and the Southeast
Extract
Species Account Sporting colors that include metallic purple, iridescent green, fire-engine red, sky blue, and brilliant yellow, the Purple Gallinule is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and unusual birds in all of North America. Known in some areas as the “Lily Trotter,” these long-legged birds can often be seen walking on lily pads using their long yellow toes to help distribute their weight. They can sometimes be as awkward and uncoordinated as they are beautiful, occasionally throwing their wings out to maintain their balance or flapping briefly if they prove too heavy for the floating vegetation they are walking on.
Unlike the closely related Common Gallinule that feeds as it swims, the Purple Gallinule uses its beak to flip over vegetation to look for aquatic insects, or it uses its long legs and toes to pull down tall stalks and stand on them to bring seeds into easier eating range. Generally, their diet is more vegetable than animal matter, but the birds take advantage of a wide variety of food sources. Common food items include flowers and fruits of the water lily family, as well as seeds, flowers, and tubers from a variety of other species, including pickerelweed, smartweed, and sedges. Beetles, spiders, and dragonflies are also taken. When a larger prey item like a frog is captured, it often results in a flurry of activity, as other Purple Gallinules rush in and try to steal part of the meal. Occasionally, eggs or young are taken from other birds’ nests, including the Common Grackle, Snowy Egret, Anhinga, and Wood Duck.
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