- Porzana parva
Identification
17-19
- Short straight yellow bill with a red base
- Green legs with long toes
- Short tail is barred black, white underneath
Adult males
- Mainly brown upperparts
- Slate-grey face and underparts
Females
- Whitish throat
- Buff underparts
- Grey only on the face
Immatures are similar to the female but have a white face and breast
The downy chicks are black, as with all rails
Similar Species
Distribution
Taxonomy
A monotypic species.
Habitat
Reedbeds
Behaviour
Most active at dawn and dusk
Flight
Similar to Water Rail and Spotted Crake
Breeding
4-7 eggs are laid in nests built in reeds.
Diet
Diet includes insects and aquatic animals.
They probe with their bill in mud or shallow water, also picking up food by sight.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Porzana parva (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Wikipedia
- Collins Field Guide 5th edition