Gray-headed Swamphen

The grey-headed swamphen is a large greyish-blue to greyish-purple wetland bird, 43 cm long, with a pale grey head, a stout red bill, greenish wings and red legs. It occurs in marshes and jheels from the Middle East and Indian subcontinent to southern China and northern Thailand. The nominate subspecies is listed for India and Sri Lanka east to southern China and northern Thailand (Wikipedia, general species account).

It was treated as a subspecies of the purple swamphen until 2015, when that complex was split into six species. The male has an elaborate courtship display, holding water weeds in his bill and bowing to the female with loud chuckles. Nationally Least Concern (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012, listed as the Purple Swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio, its name before the split).