1. any of various small aquatic birds of the genus Gallinula distinguished from rails by a frontal shield and a resemblance to domestic hens; [syn: gallinule, marsh hen, water hen, swamphen]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
swamphen
n 1: any of various small aquatic birds of the genus Gallinula
distinguished from rails by a frontal shield and a
resemblance to domestic hens [syn: gallinule, marsh
hen, water hen, swamphen]