African Crake vs Allen's Gallinule

African Crake

Crecopsis egregia

Medium119 gWetland

The African crake is a smallish crake, 20–23 cm (7.9–9.1 in) long with a 40–42 cm (16–17 in) wingspan. The male has blackish upperparts streaked with olive-brown, apart from the nape and hindneck which are plain pale brown; there is a white streak from the base of the bill to above the eye. The sides of the head, foreneck, throat and breast are bluish-grey, the flight feathers are dark brown, and the flanks and sides of the belly are barred black and white. The eye is red, the bill is reddish, and the legs and feet are light brown or grey. Voice: Like other rails, this species has a wide range of vocalisations. The male's territorial and advertising call is a series of rapid grating krrr notes repeated two or three times a second for several minutes. It is given most often in the breeding season, usually early or late in the day, but sometimes continues after dark or starts before dawn.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: C. G. Finch-Davies · Public domain

Allen's Gallinule

Porphyrio alleni

Medium139 gWetland

They are similar in size to the only slightly larger water rail. The Allen's gallinule has a short red bill, greenish back and purple upperparts. They have red legs with long toes, and a short tail which is white with a dark central bar underneath. Breeding males have a blue frontal shield, which is green in the female. Immature Allen's gallinules are sandy brown with a buff undertail. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails. They nod their heads as they swim.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Martien Brand from Mariënberg, The Netherlands · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: African Crake and Allen's Gallinule.