[order] Gruiformes | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Laterallus exilis | [UK] Grey-breasted Crake | [FR] Rale grele | [DE] Amazonasralle | [ES] Polluela Pechigris | [IT] Schiribilla pettogrigio | [NL] Amazone Dwergral
Subspecies
Monotypic species
Physical charateristics
A small crake with a telling rufous upperneck. Sexes are almost alike. Forehead to middle of crown is deep slate. Pale grey on side of the head. Upper mantle and back of head and neck bright rufous. Lower mantle and upper parts olive brown. Wing covers and lower rump finely barred white. Tail feathers deep brown and legs are yellow.
Listen to the sound of Grey-breasted Crake
[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/G/Grey-breasted Crake.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 20 | cm | wingspan max.: | 22 | cm |
| size min.: | 14 | cm | size max.: | 16 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 0 | days | incubation max.: | 0 | days |
| fledging min.: | 0 | days | fledging max.: | 0 | days |
| broods: | 2 | eggs min.: | 2 | ||
| eggs max.: | 4 |
Range
South of Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, venezuela and the Guianas. In Suriname common in dry and wet thick grass.
Habitat
Marshes, riverbanks, lake edges and wet grassy habitats with dense vegetation 50-100 cm high. Also floated rice fields and floating mats of grass on river. Usually in vicinity of water no deeper than 5-15 cm deep.
Reproduction
Nest is spherical with a side entrance, typical for exlilis. Made out of woven grass and reed stems. Clutch size three eggs. Chickens covered with black down.
Feeding habits
Diet consists of invertebrates, insects and seeds taken from water and vegetation.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 5,200,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but it is believed to be large as the species is described as ‘common’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Migration
Presumed sedentary
Distribution map
Literature
Title THE GRAY-BREASTED CRAKE (LATERALLUS EXILIS) IN COSTA RICA: VOCALIZATIONS, DISTRIBUTION, AND
INTERACTIONS WITH WHITE-THROATED CRAKES (L. ALBIGULARIS)
INTERACTIONS WITH WHITE-THROATED CRAKES (L. ALBIGULARIS)
Author(s): F. G. STILES & D. J. LEVEY
Abstract: We provide the first documentation ofLaterallus ex..[more]..
Source: The Condor 90:607-612
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