Elaine, who visited the Everglades occasionally when she lived in Miami, knows a purple gallinule when she sees one.

There are more than 360 species of birds, including the great blue heron and the diminutive green variety, purple gallinules and roseate spoonbills, the white ibis and the black skimmer.

Wild yellow irises bloomed amid the marsh grass in this tranquil oasis, and umbrella pines gave shade, while glossy ibis, coots and purple gallinule chattered and splashed in the pond.

The fall hunting seasons for squirrel, dove, rail, snipe and gallinule in Ohio also open that day.

Coots, swamphens, moorhens, gallinules and a great many others belong to this group.