7 |
![]() |
Australian Spotted CrakeAlternate name(s): "Water-crake", "Australian Crake", "Spotted Crake" Size: 19-22 cm Weight: 55-70 g |
![]() |
Similar |
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
|
||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Photos |
![]() |
ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Close-up frontal view of an adult Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of F. Japp)
[Lake Hawthorn, Mildura, VIC, in June 2014]
Close-up frontal view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kingsford Smith Memorial Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, April 2023]
Frontal view of an Australian Spotted Crake
[40 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]
Close-up near-frontal view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kingsford Smith Memorial Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, April 2023]
Near-frontal view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Montecollina bore, off the Strzelecki Track, SA, November 2018]
Close-up near-lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kingsford Smith Memorial Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, April 2023]
Close-up lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kingsford Smith Memorial Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, April 2023]
Close-up lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kingsford Smith Memorial Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, April 2023]
Close-up lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kingsford Smith Memorial Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, April 2023]
Close-up lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of F. Japp)
[Lake Hawthorn, Mildura, VIC, in June 2014]
Lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Montecollina bore, off the Strzelecki Track, SA, November 2018]
Lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake moving along the edge
of a swamp
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, January 2013]
Lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake; for comparison,
the white object in the mud is a golf ball
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, NSW, December 2012]
Lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake swimming across
a wetland (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Fivebough swamp, Leeton, NSW, November 2012]
Near-dorsal view of an Australian Spotted Crake
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Montecollina bore, off the Strzelecki Track, SA, November 2018]
Dorsal view of an Australian Spotted Crake
[40 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]
![]() |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-lateral view of an immature Australian Spotted Crake;
note the absence of red at the base of the bill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Helidon STP, Lockyer Valley, QLD, February 2019]
Near-lateral view of an adult, left, with an immature Australian
Spotted Crake (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Helidon STP, Lockyer Valley, QLD, February 2019]
![]() |
Breeding information |
Breeding season: Aug - Feb | Eggs: 3 - 6 | Incubation period: ? | Fledging age: ? |
![]() |
Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Reeds, aquatic plants, grass lining | Height above ground: N/A |
Australian Spotted Crake on its nest
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[20 km West of Gilgandra, NSW, October 2020]
Australian Spotted Crake walking off its nest
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[20 km West of Gilgandra, NSW, October 2020]
![]() |
Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 31 x 23 mm | Colour: Light-brown, with sparse mid- to dark-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
![]() |
Behaviour |
Australian Spotted Crakes are very small, shy birds and extremely well-camouflaged. The photo below gives an example of how hard they can be to spot.
Distant lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake; click on
photo to see the full-size image taken with 300 mm focal length
[Near Narrabri, NSW, December 2012]
![]() |
Food, Diet |
Lateral view of an Australian Spotted Crake with small prey it
has just pulled from the mud
[40 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]