Baillon’s Crake

Like most species of crakes and rails, Baillon’s Crake is a denizen of swamps and other wetlands. Although they are rather secretive and skulk about among the vegetation at the margins of these wetlands, sometimes they can be seen dashing across floating aquatic plants. When they run, they have a peculiar crouching posture, but at other times, they walk slowly with their head down and tail held erect and constantly flicked.

The upper parts of a Baillon’s Crake are a rich cinnamon-brown, with black streaks and spattered with narrow white paint-like smears (Salim Ali). They are generally light grey below, with a white belly that has dark barring, which extends onto the undertail. The bill is greenish, as are the legs and feet, while the eye is bright red.

It breeds in Indian Himalayas; widespread winter visitor and passage migrant to this part of peninsular India. I have seen one at Koothapar lake (Trichy) last year and one at Thuvakudi lake (Trichy) this year.

Trichy | Nov 2017