Red-legged Crake

The red-legged crake is a secretive rail about 24 cm long. Its head, neck and breast are rich red-brown, becoming paler on the throat, while the upperparts are grey-brown and the lower belly and underwings are boldly barred black and white. A greenish bill, red legs and short raised tail complete its distinctive appearance. Although brightly marked at close range, it usually stays hidden in dense ground cover and is more often detected by its descending croaks, screams and grunting calls (Wikipedia, general species account, summarising Taylor 2020).

The species ranges from northeastern India and eastern Bangladesh through Myanmar, Thailand and the rest of mainland Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia. It occupies dense vegetation near permanent water, including paddy fields, marshy edges and rainforest, and some populations appear to move seasonally. Breeding remains poorly documented. Both parents incubate a clutch of three to six dull-white eggs, and the newly hatched chicks are clothed in dark brown down (Wikipedia, general species account, summarising Taylor 2020).