Family:
Allen’s gallinule, formerly known as the lesser gallinule, is a small waterbird with a compact head, short tail, and a short bill. While it may appear dark from a distance or in poor light, its plumage has green upperparts, violet underparts, and a white undertail. The head is black, and both the bill and legs are bright red. During the breeding season, males display a turquoise blue frontal shield, which is green in females. Apart from that, the sexes are similar, but the female is slightly smaller.
Although it is a weak flier, Allen’s gallinule holds the distinction of being the only species on the British and Irish bird list to have originated from the African tropics.
Try our interactive bird identifier
Allen’s gallinule is omnivorous and eats flowers, fruit, seeds, stems, leaves, and the unripe seedheads of water lilies. It also probes in shallow water for worms, crustaceans, small fish and fish eggs, and aquatic insects.
Allen’s gallinule has a large range across sub-Saharan Africa. It is found in freshwater wetlands such as marshes, swamps, and lakes with thick vegetation, particularly water lilies.
It is a shy bird, rarely emerging from thick cover.
