Rare Purple Swamp Hen brings flocks to RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk

It normally resides in the swamps of Southern Europe and Africa but has decided the lagoons of Minsmere in Suffolk are more to its liking. A 'wild' Purple Swamp Hen has never been seen in the British Isles before but it's showing itself several times a day at the RSPB reserve.

More than a thousand birdwatchers have come from across the country to see the bird, which is about the size of a chicken and looks like a fancy coloured moorhen.

As the swamps of Southern Europe dry up we could be seeing many more 'Swampy's on our waters.

See Kate Prout's report here