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Very small, stocky rail with yellow legs and bill.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Spotted Crake, Water Crake, Spotted Water Crake
At a glance
FamilyRails, Gallinules, and Coots
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatReedbeds, marsh edges, farm dams, sedgelands, and thick waterside vegetation.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from December to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Richard Boon
Range map
Range map
1384visible hotspots
42135visible records
6states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Brown above, blue-gray below black streaking and white specks, barred flanks, and black undertail with a thick white border (unlike Baillon’s Crake, which has fine barring). Tail is often held cocked.
Behavior
Inhabits freshwater and saltwater wetlands with vegetated edges, where it forages on muddy shorelines, often out in the open.
Gallery