Bird Guide

Baillon's Crake vs Spotless Crake

Baillon's Crake (Zapornia pusilla)

Baillon's Crake

Zapornia pusilla

Small35 gWetland

They are 15–18 cm (5.9–7.1 in) in length, and are similar in appearance to the little crake. Baillon's crake has a short straight bill, yellow or green without a red base. Adults have mainly ochre-brown upperparts streaked through occasionally with black and white markings. Their underparts are a light blue-grey, paler on the throat, breast and abdomen. The flanks and under-tail are barred black and white. They have olive-green legs with long toes. Immature Baillon's crakes are similar to the adults, but have extensively barred, duller underparts. The chicks are black, as with all rails.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Baillon's Crake
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Flight call · Genêts, Manche, Normandy, France · CC0
Photo: (c) Вячеслав Юсупов, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Spotless Crake (Zapornia tabuensis)

Spotless Crake

Zapornia tabuensis

Small42 gWetland

As an adult the spotless crake can reach a length of 17 – 20 cm; a wingspan of 26 – 29 cm; and can weigh between 40 – 50g. The head, and neck of the spotless crake is a bluish–grey slate colour. Some also have an occasional light grey or whitish patch on the chin, which can extend down the throat. The back, the outer wings, and inner wings have a dark reddish–brown which then fades into a dark blackish – brown on the tail feathers. The underside of the spotless crake is also a bluish–grey which then transitions to a blackish–grey on the underside of the tail feathers.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Spotless Crake
Recorded by Rob · Begging call · Minnippi Parkland (near Tingalpa), Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia · CC BY 4.0
Photo: Frankzed from Melbourne, Australia · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Baillon's Crake and Spotless Crake.