Western Swamphen
Western SwamphenWestern SwamphenWestern SwamphenWestern Swamphen

Western Swamphen

Porphyrio porphyrio

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Ngorongoro Conservation Area
31 Verified records at Ngorongoro Conservation Area
April Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The western swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) is a species of swamphen in the rail family Rallidae, one of the six species of purple swamphen. This chicken-sized bird, with its large feet, bright plumage and red bill and frontal shield is easily recognisable in its native range. It used to be considered the nominate subspecies of the purple swamphen, but is now recognised as a separate species. The western swamphen is found in wetlands in Spain (where the largest population lives), Portugal, southeastern France, Italy (Sardinia and Sicily) and northwestern Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Western Swamphen sighting in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, based on 31 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Allen's Gallinule
LC

Allen's Gallinule

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Porphyrio alleni

Insufficient data
Red-knobbed Coot
LC

Red-knobbed Coot

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fulica cristata

20–30% · Possible
Common Moorhen
LC

Common Moorhen

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gallinula chloropus

10–20% · With luck
Black Crake

Black Crake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Amaurornis flavirostra

10–20% · With luck
African Rail
LC

African Rail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rallus caerulescens

<5% · Rare
Lesser Moorhen

Lesser Moorhen

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gallinula angulata

<5% · Rare
Baillon's Crake

Baillon's Crake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Porzana pusilla

<5% · Rare
African Crake
LC

African Crake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Crex egregia

Insufficient data
Grey Crowned Crane
EN

Grey Crowned Crane

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Balearica regulorum

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
5–10
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
60–70%
2 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
30–40%
3 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
20–30%
4 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
10–20%
5 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
6 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
10–20%
7 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
8 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
9 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
5–10%
10 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
11 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
12 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
13 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
14 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
15 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
16 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
17 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
18 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
19 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
20 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
21 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
22 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
23 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
24 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
25 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
26 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
27 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
28 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
29 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
30 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
31 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
32 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
33 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
34 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
35 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
36 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
37 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
38 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
39 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
40 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
Insufficient data
41 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
42 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
43 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Insufficient data
44 Satpura National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
45 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
Insufficient data
46 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
47 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
48 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
49 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
50 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
51 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
52 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
53 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
54 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
Insufficient data
55 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
Insufficient data
56 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
57 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
58 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
59 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
60 Hemis National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
61 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Western Swamphen in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?

About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Western Swamphen sighting in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, based on 31 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Western Swamphen in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?

April has the highest sighting rate for Western Swamphen in Ngorongoro Conservation Area in our monthly data.

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