Rails and coots · Cranes and rails
Spotted Crake
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Porzana porzana
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Voice
Song
Robert Petersen
Call
Jochem Verweij
Song
Robert Petersen
How to recognize it
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21–25 cm, slightly smaller than a water rail
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Lead-grey head and front of neck with fine pale speckles
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Dark brown upperparts; flanks with white spots and dark barring
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Short straight bill, red at base and yellow-grey at tip; repetitive "hwuit, hwuit" call
About the species
Spotted Crake keeps low in marsh grass and reed beds, moving fast between stems and over shallow water. It is much more often heard than seen in the breeding season, when it gives a repeated whistle, “hwuit, hwuit,” at night.
It stays secretive in cover and comes out to probe mud and shallow edges with its bill. It also picks up food by sight, mainly insects and other aquatic animals, and can be easier to spot during migration.
Look for it in marshes and sedge beds across temperate Europe and western Asia. It nests in hidden dry spots within wet vegetation, and most populations leave in autumn, wintering in Africa or Pakistan.
Where to find
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Along pond edges, canal banks, and quiet backwaters — especially where reeds and sedges make a dense green wall, and a repeated whistled call carries at dusk.
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On wet meadows and soggy lawns beside water — look for quick runs through the grass and short pauses at the mud edge.
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At shallow, plant-choked shallows — it feeds by probing mud and soft water with its bill.
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Near old marshy ponds and reedy corners — most likely heard at night, with a rhythmic “hwuit, hwuit” from cover.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Porzana porzana Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Spotted crake Encyclopedia article