Portrait of a pukeko

Pukeko or swamp hen don't have webbed feet but they do swim, and they don't have particularly big wings for their size but they do fly, if only in short noisy bursts.

They don't have the right feet for perching either but they do that as well.

They are one of the few birds that has thrived since the advent of man in NZ and can be seen in all types of environment.

The back feathers are wind blown, making them softer.