The Purple Gallinule – The Awkward Beauty! ~ by A J Mithra

The beautifully colored Purple Gallinule is often known as a ‘swamp hen’. The scientific name is Porphyrio martinica. The Purple Gallinule belongs to the rail (Rallidae) family of birds.

Almost without exception, rails frequent freshwater wetlands such as swamps and marshes. Preferred habitats include lakes, pools, waterways, and wet marshes.

These birds look so beautiful…
Is it because, they prefer to live by the waters?
When we live by the Living Waters we too shall turn beautiful like the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the Valley…
After all, GOD created us in HIS own image… Isn’t it?
Remember how Moses’ face shone after his forty day communion with GOD?

Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. (Isaiah 52: 1)

These birds are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of seeds, leaves and fruits. Insects, frogs, small fish, snails are earthworms are all eaten with relish. It will also steal eggs and eat young ducklings if it gets the opportunity.

The long toes prevent the bird from sinking when walking on floating vegetation or on water-lilies. The toes can also be used to grasp food and it may then use its feet to carry food to the mouth.
The legs are strong and the gallinule can run well on land….

What kind of feet did GOD give us?

He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places. (2 Samuel22:34)
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.” (Psalm 91:13)

Not only that,

Then shall the lame man leap as an hart,……..” (Isaiah 35:6)

The eggs are laid in a platform or pad constructed of trampled reeds, leaves and grasses. The pad is often situated on a floating ‘island’ of debris in a clump of saw grass or in a secluded thicket. Both parents share the incubation and care of the chicks.

The parents have a ritual which is performed whenever one takes over incubation duties from the other. The incoming bird brings the gift of a leaf to its partner. The bird on the nest takes the leaf and adds it to the nest. It then relinquishes duties to its mate.

GOD has chosen us to finish the good work which HE started when HE was in this earth…

The incoming bird brings the gift of a leaf to its mate…
Fresh Leaf denotes new life..
JESUS gave us a fresh lease of life by giving HIS life on the cross…

Now it is our turn to take up HS duty to reach the unreached till HE returns as KING of kings..

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans(6:23)

The Purple Gallinule is essentially a tropical marsh bird that just makes its way into the United States. But some go even farther afield. It has even been found numerous times in Europe and South Africa.
There has even been the occasional American Purple Gallinule turn up in Western Europe.

Although it looks quite clumsy in the air, flying as it does with the legs dangling, it nonetheless can cover quite long distances. The Purple Gallinule, despite appearing to be an awkward flier, regularly turns up in northern states and southern Canada. It has even been found numerous times in Europe and South Africa…

People may call us by nicknames but GOD had called us by name…

You may be called clumsy or awkward, but, GOD calls you as HIS crown and a royal diadem…
If JESUS becomes your strength, you will never be weak..
If JESUS becomes your wisdom, you will never be a fool..

These birds may be awkward fliers, but still GOD is able to take them to far off places..

GOD doesn’t judge you by your quality but by your availability…
Are you available for JESUS? 24 x 7?

My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies” (Song of Solomon 2:16)

Note: Photograph by Denise Russell

Have a blessed day!

Your’s in YESHUA,
A J Mithra

Please visit us at: Crosstree

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Lee’s Addition:
The Purple Gallinule is one of our favorites here in Florida. We see them quite frequently. They can be little beggars when we are feeding the birds at Lake Hollingsworth. They are in the Rails, Crakes, and Coots – Rallidae Family of the Gruiformes Order which also includes Cranes, Flufftails, Finfoots, Trumpeters and Limpkins.

Purple Gallinule walking around on vegetation at Lake Hollingsworth by Lee