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7

Spotless Crake

(Porzana tabuensis)
Alternate name(s): "Leaden Crake", "Tabuan Crake", "Swamp-rail", "Little Swamp-hen", "Puekeko*", "Putoto"
Aboriginal name(s): Race "tabuensis": "warradja" (WA)

Size: 17-20 cm
Weight: 35-55 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Spotless Crake at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "tabuensis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Spotless Crake (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, February 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Spotless Crake (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, September 2018]

Lateral view of a Spotless Crake (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, November 2020]

Lateral view of a Spotless Crake (photo courtesy of C. Charles)
[Triangle Pond, Homebush, Sydney, NSW, January 2009]

Lateral view of a Spotless Crake (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, September 2018]

Lateral view of a Spotless Crake (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, February 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Spotless Crake (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, February 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Spotless Crake foraging for food (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, March 2019]

Dorsal view of a Spotless Crake
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]

Lateral view of a Spotless Crake in flight, with a view of its underwing pattern (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, November 2013]

Lateral view of a Spotless Crake in flight, with a view of its upperwing pattern (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, November 2013]

Lateral view of a Spotless Crake in flight, here seen carrying an insect back to its dependent young
( photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, November 2013]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a Spotless Crake chick; note the off-white cheek (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Whites Hill Reserve, Brisbane, QLD, February 2019]

Frontal view of a Spotless Crake chick; note the off-white cheek (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Whites Hill Reserve, Brisbane, QLD, February 2019]

Behaviour

Although not streaked, the plumage of Spotless Crakes is also cryptic - it is adapted to camouflage the birds in the dark, often muddy habitats they prefer.

Spotless Crake moving along the edge of a well-vegetated lake, in this case a small, disused and largely silted-up water storage dam - this is the only thing one may be able to pick up before the bird disappears from view again; even in the original photo, taken with a 300-mm tele-lens, it is hard to spot ("find the bird!" - at the base of the reed stalks, just below the centre of the image)
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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