Grey headed Swamphen Porphyrio poliocephalus. Males of the Common Cockerel are larger than females, have thick beaks, are long-legged and bulky. They have long, thick-kneed legs. The bare parts are completely red in adults and duller in young ones. The undertail is completely white. They have a flat feather cover. Its color is violet-purplish. They are omnivorous, but generally eat the shoots, leaves, roots, flowers and seeds of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants. They search for food standing up. They graze on short plants, and pull down taller ones with their beak and tear them off with their feet. They also eat with their feet. They do the same for large pieces of food, lift them into their beak with their feet and tear them into small pieces with their strong beak. It has been observed that young individuals also try to do this behavior. They have often been observed feeding in rice fields.
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