Band-bellied Crake

Scientific Name: Zapornia paykullii
Malay Name: Sintar-Kecil Belacan Berbelang
Chinese Name: 斑胁田鸡

Range:
Found from Siberia, Korea to Northeast China and winters to Southeast Asia except the Philippines

Taxonomy:
Monotypic.

Size: 27 cm

Identification:
Resembles Ruddy-breasted Crake but has a stronger, thicker and shorter bill, some narrow whitish and dark bars on wing coverts and the black white bars between flanks and undertail-coverts are more distinctive. Juvenile has paler head-sides and breasts and browner legs than adult.

Similar looking species: Red-legged Crake, Ruddy-breasted Crake

Habitat: Freshwater wetlands.

Behaviour/Ecology: Very skulking.

Local Status: Very rare migrant

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Two confirmed sightings at Chinese Garden in March 2014 and Singapore Botanic Gardens in January 2018.

Photos:

Band-bellied Crake at Chinese Garden. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Band-bellied Crake at Chinese Garden. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Band-bellied Crake at Chinese Garden. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Band-bellied Crake at Chinese Garden. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Band-bellied Crake at Singapore Botanic Gardens. Photo Credit: See Toh Yew Wai

Band-bellied Crake at SBG. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Band-bellied Crake at SBG. 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

References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Zapornia paykullii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Downloaded on 2 September 2021
Robson, C. (2008). A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers.