Shoop posted some beautiful Purple Swamp Hens last week. My photos are not as good, but highlight the colour difference between the 2 races. My first sighting of these, there were about a dozen at various spots around the lagoon.
Taken Goulds Lagoon, north of Hobart about 10 days ago.
These are the colours that i'm used to! I wonder why it's different? I'm in QLD not Tassie though
Lovely photos
Here in Vic they look just like the ones in Tassie and QLD.
M-L
Yes yours are definately Purple , minus the blue ! I don't know why ours have blue on their faces that run all the way down their chest .
Kerry - Perth, Western Australia.
As Pacman (aka Peter) pointed out in Shoop's thread, there are 2 races, Porphyrio porphyrio bellus is found in the Southwest of Western Australia, while Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus covers the rest of their range - Tasmania, accross to South Australia all the way up to Queensland and the Northwest of Western Australia and northern end of the Northern Territory. Morcombe's eGuide says
"Breast can appear dark slaty blue-grey in dull light, but direct sunlight transforms this to a bright, intense blue, with azure sheen, or, on the SW race, reveals an emerald hue down the central chest"
Thanks for you comments, still like Shoop's southwest race best. Thanks for showing us the Victorian version M-L.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
A couple of our birds here in Victoria Point Qld. First one has a definite line between dark head and the purple/blue on the chest - I've only just noticed it. Most of ours kind of blend together like the second photo. Third time lucky to try to put this post up - tried twice last night and lost it.
Chris
Thanks Chris, they are nice photos, strange the almost shadow in the 1st photo. I like the contrast between the red beak and shield to the main body colour.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
You found some Dale! Lucky you. Beautiful shots!
Great to see you had some sunshine down South at least too, unlike us unlucky lot lately at this end of the State 
West Coast Tasmania