General Description

Grey face, forehead, throat and chest. Body brownish olive, streaked black and finely spotted with white. Lower flanks black and barred white, underside of tail white. Bill olive-green with an orange-red area at base. Legs and feet green to olive yellow

Biology

Spotted crakes are monogamous, pair bonding for life and defend a territory during the breeding season. Each breeding season 5-10 eggs are produced and nest sites are typically in hidden spots at the water's edge in dense clumps of vegetation.

Distribution

South-east and the south-west of Australia. Rare in Queensland. Widespread in much of New South Wales away from the coast, in much of Victoria and in north-eastern South Australia. Uncommon in Tasmania. South-west Western Australia and the Kimberleys. Now probably common around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

Habitat

Well-vegetated edges of wetlands, whether permanent or temporary, fresh or saltwater. Usually found among dense growths of plants such as saltbush, reeds, rushes, mangroves, thick grass, or dense shrubs such as Bottle-brush (Callistemon) or Tea-tree (Melaleuca).

More Information