Baillon’s Crake

Scientific Name: Zapornia pusilla
Malay Name: Sintar-Kecil Biru Biasa
Chinese Name: 小田鸡

Range:
Found from Europe, Africa, India, China, Japan to Indonesia and Australasia. Northern population winters to Southeast Asia.

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: intermedia, pusilla, mira, mayri, palustris, affinis.

Local Subspecies: pusilla

Size: 19-20.5 cm

Identification:
Adult has rich brown upperparts with black streaks and black-edged white markings, pale grey head-sides and anterior underparts, black-and-white bars at posterior underparts and greenish bill and legs. Juvenile resembles adult but lack the pale grey plumage at head-sides and anterior underparts.

Habitat: Marshes and grasslands with dense emergents, floating vegetation and shallow water.

Behaviour/Ecology: Skulking, rarely seen away from reedbeds.

Local Status: Uncommon migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2019)

Location: Punggol Barat, Kranji Marsh, Lorong Halus.

Photos:

Juvenile Baillon’s Crake at Punggol Barat. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Baillon’s Crake at Punggol Barat. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Baillon’s Crake at Punggol Barat. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Baillon’s Crake at Lorong Halus. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Baillon’s Crake at Lorong Halus. Photo credit: Francis Yap

External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Photos: Oriental Bird Images
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Baillon’s Crake)

References:
BirdLife International. (2019). Zapornia pusilla. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22692667A154256374.en. Accessed on 19 December 2021

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

Taylor, B. (1998). Rails: A Guide to Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World. Yale University Press.