PURPLE GALLINULE GALLERY
(Porphyrio martinica)

eBird gives the following description for the Purple Gallinule:  Beautiful, colorful waterbird of marshes from southeast U.S. to South America, especially those with lots of emergent vegetation. Bright bluish-purple body with green back, white undertail, and red bill with yellow tip. Long yellow legs and enormous feet help it walk on lily pads. Immatures are buffy overall with dull olive wings. Usually found alone. Loud vocalizations similar to Common Gallinule.

I saw my first Purple Gallinule at Shoveler Pond in the Anuhuac NWR.  Unlike the Common Gallinule, I only saw one of this bird, and it was very shy, almost secretive.

This was the first photo of the Purple Gallinule that I took. I saw a flash of the pale blue shield, and was intrigued by that. May 21, 2020, at Shoveler Pond.
Got a better look at the tell-tale blue shield of the adult Purple Gallinule in this shot. May 21, 2020, at Shoveler Pond.

A few more facts about the Purple Gallinule from All About Birds…

Lurking in the marshes of the extreme southeastern U.S. lives one of the most vividly colored birds in all of North America. Purple Gallinules combine cherry red, sky blue, moss green, aquamarine, indigo, violet, and school-bus yellow, a color palette that blends surprisingly well with tropical and subtropical wetlands. Watch for these long-legged, long-toed birds stepping gingerly across water lilies and other floating vegetation as they hunt frogs and invertebrates or pick at tubers.