At first glance, it looks like a giant, mutant purple gallinule. Upon further review, it's clearly something else, given the red forehead shield, red legs, ground-hugging habit ? and overly large body. So what is it? The purple swamphen, of course. If you haven't heard of this bird, AKA Porphyrio porphyrio, you're not alone. In the United States, it's a rare bird, found wild only in Florida ? Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Hendry counties, mostly. But it is not native to North America, let alone Florida. this one was found today at the local wetlands in Palm Beach.