The Purple Gallinule is distributed from the USA through Central America and the Caribbean into most of South America as far south as northern Argentina. See the distribution map at xeno-canto. It is found in wetlands, marshes, pools and along the coast and requires aquatic vegetation for breeding.

The immatures in photos 4 and 5 are much more drab particularly in photo 5 where it seems to have been digging some tasty morsel out of the mud.