Allen's Gallinule
Porphyrio alleni
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderGruiformes (Cranes, Rails, and Allies)
- FamilyRallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
- GenusPorphyrio (Swamphens and Blue Gallinules)
- SpeciesPorphyrio alleni (Allen's Gallinule)
About the Allen's Gallinule
Allen's gallinule (Porphyrio alleni), formerly known as the lesser gallinule, is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae. Its former binomial name is Porphyrula alleni. Porphyrio is the Latin for "swamphen", and alleni, like the English name, commemorates British naval officer Rear-Admiral William Allen (1792–1864).
Allen's gallinules are found year-round in marshes and lakes in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has occurred as a vagrant in several European countries, and is the only purely Sub-Saharan bird species to reach Great Britain. They are similar in size to the only slightly larger water rail. The Allen's gallinule has a short red bill, greenish back and purple upperparts. They have red legs with long toes, and a short tail which is white with a dark central bar underneath. Breeding males have a blue frontal shield, which is green in the female. Immature Allen's gallinules are sandy brown with a buff undertail. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails. They nod their heads as they swim.
Allen's gallinules are very secretive in the breeding season, particularly in the dense swamps they favour, and are... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Allen's Gallinule in South Luangwa National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at South Luangwa National Park
Western Swamphen
Porphyrio porphyrio
Black Crake
Amaurornis flavirostra
Chestnut-headed Flufftail
Sarothrura lugens
Red-chested Flufftail
Sarothrura rufa
Lesser Moorhen
Gallinula angulata
African Rail
Rallus caerulescens
Striped Crake
Aenigmatolimnas marginalis
African Crake
Crex egregia
Grey Crowned Crane
Balearica regulorum
Wattled Crane
Bugeranus carunculatus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 6 | Ankarafantsika National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 7 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 8 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 9 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 10 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 11 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 12 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 13 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 14 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 15 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 16 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 17 | Kidepo Valley National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 18 | Mikumi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 19 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 20 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 21 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 22 | Lake Nakuru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 23 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Allen's Gallinule in South Luangwa National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Allen's Gallinule sighting in South Luangwa National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Allen's Gallinule in South Luangwa National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Allen's Gallinule in South Luangwa National Park in our monthly data.