purple gallinule

noun

1. a purple, blue, green, and white gallinule, Porphyrula martinica, inhabiting warmer areas of the New World, having a bright red, yellow, and blue bill, and lemon-yellow legs and feet.
2. any of several large, Old World gallinules of the genus Porphyrio.

purple gallinule

noun

1. a long-toed purple aquatic bird, Porphyrio porphyrio (or Porphyrula martinica ), of the southern US and Europe, with red legs and red bill: family Rallidae (rails, etc)

Word History and Origins

Origin of purple gallinule¹

An Americanism dating back to 1805–15

Example Sentences

They nest in colonies in marshes and swamps, building their nests like those of the Purple Gallinule.

From Project Gutenberg

The Purple Gallinule is known to build as many as five or six sham nests, a trait which is not confined to the Wren family.

From Project Gutenberg