Baillon's crake

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Baillon's crake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Genus: Porzana
Species:
P. pusilla
Binomial name
Porzana pusilla
(Pallas, 1776)
Synonyms[1]
  • Zapornia pusilla

Baillon's crake (Porzana pusilla) is a bird in the family Gruiformes. It lives in many parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania.[2][3][4]

Subspecies[change | change source]

There are at least five subspecies of Baillon's crake: the marsh crake Porzana pusilla affinis lives in New Zealand, Porzana pusilla palustris lives in Australia and New Guinea, Porzana pusilla mira lives in Borneo, Porzana pusilla intermedia lives in Africa and Porzana pusilla pusilla lives in Asia and other places.[3]

Appearance[change | change source]

Baillon's crake has medium-brown feathers on the top of its body with black marks and white spots. The feathers on the front and underside of its body are light gray. Its bill and legs are yellow-green. Its eyes are red.[4]

Habitat and food[change | change source]

Baillon's crakes live in wetlands, for example swamps. They sometimes run across the top of the water on floating plants.[4]

Baillon's crakes eat animals without bones, for example insects, crustaceans, and snails. They catch them in the mud at the edges of wetlands and from floating plants.[4]

Breeding[change | change source]

Baillon's crake makes a simple nest out of dry plants. It hides the nest in little raised bits of ground near the edge of the swamp. Both the male and female crake sit on the eggs and watch the chicks.[4]

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 BirdLife International. "Baillon's Crake: Zapornia pusilla". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22692667A154256374. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22692667A154256374.en. Retrieved September 15, 2021.{{cite iucn}}: error: |page= / |url= mismatch (help)
  2. "Marsh crake/koitareke". New Zealand Department of Conservation. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Marsh crake: Porzana pusilla (Pallas, 1776)". New Zealand Birds Online. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Baillon's Crake: Porzana pusilla". Birdlife Australia. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.