Slaty-legged Crake
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| Slaty-legged Crake Conservation status: Secure | ||||||||||||||
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| Rallina eurizonoides Lafresnaye, 1845 |
The Slaty-legged Crake or Banded Crake ( Rallina eurizonoides) is a waterbird in the rail and crake family Rallidae.
Its breeding habitat is swamps and similar wet areas in well-wooded country across south Asia east from India and Sri Lanka to the Philippines and Indonesia. It nests in a dry location on the ground or low bush, laying 4-8 eggs.
These rails are mainly permanent residents throughout their range, but some northern populations migrate further south in winter.
The Slaty-legged Crake is about 25 cm long. Its body is flattened laterally to allow easier passage through the undergrowth. It has long toes and a short tail. Coloring includes a brown back, chestnut head and breast, and strong black-and-white barring on the flanks, belly and undertail. The throat is white, the bill is yellowish, and the legs are green.
Sexes are similar, but juveniles are dark brown above and below, although they have the belly barring and white throat.
These birds probe with their bill in mud or shallow water, also picking up food by sight. They forage for berries and insects on the ground, or clambering through bushes and undergrowth.
Slaty-legged Crakes are territorial, but are quite secretive, hiding in bushes when disturbed.
Reference
- Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6