Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Paint-billed Crake

Neocrex erythrops

The Paint-billed Crake, Mustelirallus erythrops, is a diminutive bird, measuring 18 to 20 cm in length and tipping the scales at a modest 40 to 70 grams. Its most striking feature is the bill, a vibrant palette of red and yellow, complemented by equally bright red legs. Both sexes share a similar appearance, with a brown crown, nape, and upperparts, including the tail. The throat is a stark white, transitioning to gray on the face, throat, and breast, while the flanks, belly, and vent boast a pattern of black and white bars.

Identification Tips

When attempting to identify this elusive bird, look for its distinctive bill and leg coloration. The barred underparts and gray breast are also key characteristics to distinguish it from similar species.

Habitat

The Paint-billed Crake is an adaptable bird, inhabiting a range of environments from lush reedbeds and marshes to drier pastures and rice fields. It can also be found in bushy areas and, notably in the Galápagos, humid woodlands.

Distribution

This species is quite widespread, with the nominate subspecies residing in coastal Ecuador, Peru, and the Galápagos Islands. The subspecies N. e. olivascens has a broader distribution, found in Costa Rica, Panama, and across many South American countries. It has also been recorded as a vagrant in Trinidad and the U.S. states of Texas and Virginia.

Behaviour

The Paint-billed Crake is not known for regular movements but does exhibit vagrancy, suggesting potential migratory behavior. It is a secretive bird, often remaining hidden and not responding to playback.

Song & Calls

The crake's vocal repertoire includes a song that is a long, accelerating series of staccato 'kjek' notes, along with various calls such as frog-like, guttural buzzes, a soft purring, and a sharp 'twack'.

Breeding

Breeding seasons vary by location, with the crake constructing a bowl nest of green grass, concealed in vegetation. Clutches typically contain three to seven creamy buff eggs with reddish blotches. Incubation lasts approximately 23 to 25 days.

Diet and Feeding

While not much is known about its diet, the Paint-billed Crake is known to consume invertebrates like Diplopoda and Coleoptera, as well as seeds. It forages in soil, leaf litter, and standing water, often venturing into open areas near dense cover at dawn and dusk.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Paint-billed Crake as Least Concern. Despite its large range, the population size and trends are not well understood, and no immediate threats have been identified. However, due to its secretive nature, the exact range and abundance are difficult to ascertain, and further research into its status, distribution, movements, and breeding is needed.

Paint-billed Crake Sounds



Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Paint-billed Crakes on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Chris Bell
Chris Bell
10 Oct 2024 - 9:16pm
Peru

More Rails, Crakes & Coots

A photo of a White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus)

White-breasted Waterhen

Amaurornis phoenicurus
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! ❤️
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Chudbond
Love Birda
I love this app. It really encourages you to log your sightings and the community is friendly and helpful.
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Marlster24
Very Wholesome App
Joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😄
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.