Yellow-breasted Crake

The Yellow-breasted Crake, Laterallus flaviventer, is a diminutive bird, part of the Rallidae family, which includes rails, gallinules, and coots. This species exhibits a buffy face with a distinctive dark line through the eye and a pale buff-white supercilium, a unique pattern among its New World relatives.

Identification Tips

Adults of the nominate subspecies, L. f. flaviventer, are characterized by brown upperparts, a white throat, a buffy yellow breast, and striking black and white banded flanks and belly. Both sexes are similar in appearance, with males slightly heavier than females. The other subspecies vary in size and the intensity of their coloration.

Habitat

The Yellow-breasted Crake is primarily associated with freshwater environments but can occasionally be found near saltwater. It favors marshes, grassy pond edges, rice fields, and flooded grassy areas, ranging from sea level to elevations of 2,500 meters.

Distribution

This species is distributed across several Caribbean islands, most of Central and South America. Subspecies are found in specific locales, from Cuba and Jamaica to parts of Mexico, Colombia, the Guianas, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Behaviour

Generally sedentary, the Yellow-breasted Crake's movements are not well documented, though some evidence suggests local movements in response to water levels and potential migration hinted at by the absence of breeding records in certain areas.

Song & Calls

The crake's vocal repertoire includes a low, harsh, rolled "k'kuk kurr-kurr," a plaintive, squealing "kreer" or "krreh," and a high-pitched, whistled "peep."

Breeding

Breeding seasons for the Yellow-breasted Crake seem to vary geographically. The species constructs a loose nest among reeds or marsh grass, with an average clutch size of about four eggs. Further details of its breeding biology remain elusive.

Similar Species

While unique in its facial pattern among New World Rallidae, the Yellow-breasted Crake could potentially be confused with other small crakes. However, its distinctive eye line and supercilium, along with its coloration, aid in differentiation.

Diet and Feeding

This crake forages among emergent vegetation, often at dawn and dusk. Its diet includes small gastropods, insects, and seeds, which it seeks out at the water's edge or while running or climbing among plants.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Yellow-breasted Crake as Least Concern. With an estimated population of 7,000 mature individuals, the trend is unknown, but no immediate threats have been identified. It is locally common in much of its range and likely more widespread than currently documented.