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Systematic list - part 7: Gallinules, Coots, Limpkin and Cranes

 

Purple Gallinule (American Purple Gallinule) Porphyrio martinica (7)

1 Washington Loop Road (Hathaway Park) 14th, 2 Green Cay 25th, 1 Wakodahatchee 25th, 2 Loxahatchee 26th and 2 Wakodahatchee 27th.

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American Purple Gallinule, Wakodahatchee, 27th April

 

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American Purple Gallinules, Green Cay, 25th April (left) and Wakodahatchee, 27th April (right)

 

Common Gallinule (American Moorhen) Gallinula (chloropus) galeata (80)

By far the largest numbers were in the north Miami metropolitan area: 30 Green Cay 25th, up to 20 Wakodahatchee 25th & 27th and 20 Loxahatchee 26th. Elsewhere much smaller numbers: 1-3 at 11 sites. Many authorities have not yet followed the AOU's decision to split the American Moorhen as a distinct species from the Common Moorhen of Eurasia and Africa.

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Common Gallinule, Key West Botanical Garden, 19th April

 

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Common Gallinules, Green Cay, 25th April

 

American Coot Fulica americana (19)

Small numbers at several sites, the largest flocks being 5 Tamiami Trail (between the Everglade City and Marco Island turns) 14th and 5 Everglades (West Lake) 24th. The most unexpected record was of a bird in flight over the sea from the MV Playmate between Dry Tortugas and Key West 22nd.

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American Coot, Babcock-Webb, 15th April

 

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American Coot, Wakodahatchee, 27th April

 

Limpkin Aramus guarauna (11)

2 Tamiami Trail (1 Miccosukee, 2 Loop Road) 14th, 1 Washington Loop Road (Shell Creek) 14th, 1 Tamiami Trail (S-333) 17th, 5 Snake Road (off track 1296 to Seminole Reservation) 25th and 1 Green Cay 25th.

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Limpkin, Tamiami Trail Loop Road, 14th April

 

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Limpkins, Snake Road/Seminole Reservation, 25th April

 

Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis (8)

2 Washington Loop Road (north side) 14th, 2 adults with a chick Babcock-Webb 15th, 1 Snake Road (off track 1296 to Seminole Reservation) 25th and a pair John Dickinson State Park 26th. The last pair were ludicrously tame, one bird courtship-dancing and bugling right next to my open car window - at one point I had to move my head back for fear of getting its beak in my eyes! Both of these two were limping and the silent bird (presumably the female) had very badly deformed legs (e.g. no feet).

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Sandhill Cranes, Washington Loop Road, 14th April

 

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adult and chick Sandhill Cranes, Babcock-Webb, 15th April

 

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Sandhill Cranes, Jonathan Dickinson State Park, 26th April

 

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