Emotion is not always a photographers best friend. Especially not when you finally see a species of bird you have been looking for, for weeks, and finally stand eye to eye with it in perfect lighting and perfect background. I am an emotional photographer and I can tell you this, it’s darn difficult to get a sharp picture if you are jumping out of your skin from pure excitement and your hands are shaking like crazy. But it turned out pretty ok.
Let me introduce you to a visitor from North and South America, the Purple gallinule. This 30 cm long bird has extremely long feet to be able to manage its habitat, fresh water ponds with plenty of plants such as grasses, in which it searches for food. The bird regularly visits our island Curaçao in the last months of the year, especially when plenty of rain makes sure there are several areas to find food and shelter.
The first thing you notice is the bright purplish blue color of the bird, paired with green and a red and yellow bill.
Purple Gallinule – Gaitu biña – Amerikaanse purperhoen.
Bird Watching Curaçao 