This wetland bird resembles a large purple-and-green moorhen. It is patchily distributed across sub-Saharan Africa and feeds mainly on plants, with invertebrates and fish also recorded.
The BTO describes it as resembling a large moorhen with purple and green coloring.
In Ramsar site 1018 in southeastern Benin, researchers interviewed 64 residents about waterbird hunting and egg collection during the breeding season. Reports from May through October 2022 totaled 12,053 breeding birds and 63,987 eggs across eight species. The study recorded local residents’ reports about how the wetland was used.
Allen’s Gallinule accounted for about 35% of reported breeding birds captured: 4,187 birds. Residents also reported 15,914 eggs of this species, about a quarter of the 63,987 eggs reported for all eight species. The totals came from interviews across five communes, documenting collection of both adult birds and eggs during the breeding season.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The authors recommend field surveys of Allen’s Gallinule numbers and nests, including comparisons between sites inside and outside protected areas. Strong conservation action by wetland managers during the breeding season can help protect adult birds and the next generation.