Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Zapornia fusca
Family: Rails, Gallinules, and Coots · Status: Uncommon resident · Size: 21–26.5 cm · Conservation: Least Concern
Resident in Pakistan, India, China, Japan and Southeast Asia. Some populations are migratory, but the races found in Southeast Asia including Singapore are sedentary.
Adults have dark olive-brown back, hindneck, and wings, deep red face and underparts ("ruddy") , indistinct white and black bars on the vent, a dark bill with hints of green at the base, and red legs and eyes. Juvenile has darker upperparts and brown-grey bars at underparts, and a white chin and throat. Best distinguished from other crakes by the extensive deep red extending from the face, breast, to belly and relatively little black and white barring. Red-legged Crake has lighter brown back, boldly barred wings, and tawny-brown underparts. Slaty-legged Crake has lighter orange face, slaty grey legs, and prominent black and white bars on the belly extending down to the vent. Band-bellied Crake has lighter overall plumage, grey legs, and also has more extensive black and white bars on the belly and vent.
Favours freshwater wetlands and wet grasslands, commonly found at the edge of ditches and canals.
Active mainly at dusk and early morning, foraging at edges of reedbeds a short distance from cover. Breeds in Singapore, with records in February, April, and May.