SINCE 1828
pukeko
noun
pu·ke·ko
| \ püˈkā(ˌ)kō\
variants:
or less commonly pukeka \ -ākə
\
plural pukeko
or pukekos
also pukekas
Definition of pukeko
: a purple swamphen of a subspecies (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) of New Zealand, Australia, and adjacent islands
The species is usually found in swamps, bogs, or drains, but New Zealand pukeko are also commonly seen in open pastures adjacent to wetlands— Ian Jamieson and John L. Craig, Natural History, July 1993
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