Bird Guide

Grey-breasted Crake vs White-throated Crake

Grey-breasted Crake (Laterallus exilis)

Grey-breasted Crake

Laterallus exilis

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The grey-breasted crake is 14 to 15.5 cm (5.5 to 6.1 in) long. Males weigh 26.5 to 39 g (0.93 to 1.4 oz) and females 29 to 43 g (1.0 to 1.5 oz). The sexes are alike. Adults have a pale gray head and breast, a white throat, and a chesnut nape. The rest of their upperparts are olive brown and their flanks are heavily barred black and white. Voice: The grey-breasted crake has several vocalizations including "a series of 2–10 'tink' or 'keek' notes; also descending musical rattle and quiet, sharp 'check'."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Guillaume Delaitre · CC BY 4.0
White-throated Crake (Laterallus albigularis)

White-throated Crake

Laterallus albigularis

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The white-throated crake is 14 to 16 cm (5.5 to 6.3 in) long. Males weigh about 50 g (1.8 oz) and females 45 g (1.6 oz). The sexes are alike. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a white throat and upper breast and a rufous face, sides of the neck, and lower breast. Their crown, nape, and upperparts are olive brown. Their belly, vent, and undertail coverts are barred black and white. Subspecies L. a. cinereiceps has a gray face and L. a. cerdaleus has an entirely rufous head and throat. Voice: The white-throated crake makes an "brupt, explosive descending trill or churr"; its alarm call is "a sharp 'chip'" note.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the White-throated Crake
Recorded by JUAN ANTONIO ALONSO DE JUAN · Song · Vereda La Máquina, Pacho, Cundinamarca, Colombia · CC BY 4.0
Photo: Thomas Ebner · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grey-breasted Crake and White-throated Crake.