Australasian Swamphen

The Australasian Swamphen, also known as the Australian Swamphen or the Pukeko, is a type of rail found in parts of Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. It was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the Purple Swamphen.

The Australian Swamphen is widespread across much of its range, especially throughout parts of New Zealand. It has naturally expanded its range in sync with human development, benefiting from the clearing of land for agriculture.

These birds can be recognized by their iridescent plumage, large red facial shield, and long reddish legs. They are superficially similar to the Takahe, though they weight much less and are flighted.