Africa Wild Bird Book

[Toko]

213. Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra (Swartriethaan)
Order: Gruiformes. Family: Rallidae

Black Crake.jpg (23.12 KiB) Viewed 1381 times

Description
The adult Black Crake is 19–23 cm long with a short tail and long toes. Adult has mainly black plumage, with a brown olive tone on the wings and upperparts. Eyes are red, the bill is yellow, and the legs and feet are red, duller when not breeding.
The sexes are similar, but the male is slightly larger. Most males, but only 10% of females, have a hooked upper mandible.
The juvenile is brown, with blackish bill, grey to brown eyes, and blackish legs and feet.
The immature is dull olive-brown with greenish-black bill, red eyes and brownish-pink legs and feet.
The chick has black down, as with all rails and have and pale pink bill.

Distribution
Occurs across much of sub-Saharan Africa; within southern Africa it is common in northern Namibia (including the Caprivi Strip), northern and south-eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and north-eastern and southern South Africa.



Habitat
The Black Crake is found in the Southern African wetlands, riverine forests and moist grasslands. It generally prefers vegetation along the edge of wetlands, especially with rank grass, sedges, Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus), reedbeds with Phragmites and alien Spanish reed (Arundo donax), swamp thickets and bushes.

Movements and migrations
Mainly sedentary, although it moves away from wetlands if they dry up, returning if they flood again; it also can make local movements in dry regions in response to rainfall.

Diet
Omnivorous, feeding on aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates such as worms, crustaceans, molluscs, insects’ adults and larvae, small fish, tadpoles and small frogs. It may take eggs and nestlings of other birds’ species (herons and weavers). It consumes seeds and parts of the aquatic plants, and scavenges at carcasses of crabs, crayfish and small birds. It does most of its foraging by walking along muddy shores, plucking prey from the air, water and from aquatic vegetation.

Breeding
Monogamous, cooperative solitary nester, establishing a territory by calling and chasing away intruders. The nest is a deep cup if dry grass, sedges, rushes and other water plants, typically concealed in vegetation just above water, sometimes with a canopy of reeds above it. Egg-laying season is from August-June, peaking from September-December in the Western Cape and from January-February elsewhere. It lays 2-6 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes and sometimes helpers for about 13-19 days. At hatching, the chicks have black down and they leave the nest very soon, within three days after hatching. Each breeding pair rears two broods per breeding season, with the first chicks learning to fly at about 35 days old, after which they help their parents to raise another brood before becoming fully independent.

Call
The Black Crake’s advertising call is a duet with one bird giving harsh chatter krrrok-krrraa often repeated, whereas the other bird utters soft, purring notes. These duets are often delivered from the dense aquatic vegetation. The alarm call is a sharp chip. Contact calls are softer pruk or bup. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Common resident.

[Toko]

213. Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra

© ExFmem

© JustN@ture

© BluTuna
Immature

© ExFmem
Hatchling

© ExFmem

© nan
Biyamiti, Kruger National Park

Links:
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/213.pdf
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/spp_summary.ph ... &section=3
http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-black-crake.html

[PRWIN]

223. African Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis (Grootkoningriethaan)
Order: Gruiformes. Family: Rallidae

African Swamphen.jpg (39.98 KiB) Viewed 1374 times

Description
A large gallinule, easily identified by a massive red bill and frontal shield, long red legs and purplish coloration, with turquoise face and foreneck and greenish back, offset by bright white undertail coverts.
Adult: Head, foreneck and underparts deep purplish blue; face and throat paler blue. Hind crown to upper mantle dull purple; lower mantle, back, scapulars and tertials iridescent greenish bronze. Rump to tail darker olive, with less iridescence. Upper wing coverts mostly dark bluish purple, but marginal and lesser coverts paler blue, and inner greater coverts green. Flight feathers black, with greyish-violet outer webs. Axillaries and underwing coverts greyish black, tinged violet-blue on all but the greater and primary coverts. Bill and frontal shield bright red. Eyes red. Legs and feet pinkish red.
Immature: As ad, but blue of upper parts slightly duller; breast to undertail coverts mottled dark grey and white.
Juvenile: Paler and greyer than ad; head to upper mantle only slightly tinged violet. Rump and upper tail coverts dull brown. Chin whitish, remainder of underparts grey, tinged violet. Often mottled and barred white on flanks and belly. Bill and frontal shield blackish red. Legs and feet dull red.
lt differs from Allen's Gallinule by its larger size and the large bill with a red frontal shield and pink legs.

Distribution
Across sub-Saharan Africa, including southern Africa, where it is locally common in northern and eastern Botswana, patches of Namibia, Zimbabwe, the coast of Mozambique and South Africa, largely excluding the Northern Cape and the interior of the Eastern Cape.



Taxonomy
There are 13 or more subspecies of the Purple Swamphen (depending on the authority) which differ mainly in plumage colour. The subspecies groups are: P. p. porphyrio in the Mediterranean, P. p. madagascariensis in Africa, P. p. poliocephalus in tropical Asia, P. p. melanotus in much of Australasia, P. p. indicus in Indonesia and P. p. pulverulentis in the Philippines. European birds are overall purple-blue, African and south Asian birds have a green back, and Australasian and Indonesian birds have black backs and heads.
Some authorities separate the African subspecies as full species (P. p. madagascariensis is split by Sinclair et al. as African Purple Swamphen, P. madagascariensis).

Habitat
Reedbeds, marshes and flooded grassland.

Diet
Omnivorous, mainly eating plant matter supplemented with invertebrates, frogs, fish, carrion and bird eggs and nestlings. It does most of its foraging by clambering around low vegetation, biting off plant stems and looking underneath floating vegetation for invertebrates.

Breeding
Monogamous, facultative cooperative breeder, the breeding pair are assisted by helpers. The nest is built by the female with material provided by the male, consisting of a bulky, shallow cup of reeds, bulrushes, grass, and other water plants, sometimes lined with papyrus, grass leaves and flower heads or ferns. Egg-laying season is from July to January, peaking from August to March. The female lays 2-5 eggs, which are incubated mainly by the female, although assisted by the male and helper, for about 23-27 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching, and are cared for by both parents and helpers, taking their first flight at approximately eight weeks old.

Call
Plaintive nasal rattles: quinquinkrrkrrquinquinkrr....

Status
Common resident.

[PRWIN]

223. African Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis



© Peter Connan

© Sharifa

© Sharifa

Links:
Sabap2
Oiseaux net

[Flutterby]

226. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus (Groot-waterhoender)
Order: Gruiformes. Family: Rallidae

Common Moorhen.jpg (45.25 KiB) Viewed 1379 times

Description
The male and female Common Moorhen are alike in plumage colouration and the male is a little larger than the female, with a length of approximately 34 cm. The red shield and red bill with yellow tip are diagnostic (the Lesser Moorhen is smaller and has a yellow bill with red on the culmen and frontal shield only).
Adult: Overall slate-black, nape paler, tinged olive-brown. Mantle dark slate. Back and rump dark olive-brown. Tail black, tinged olive-brown and glossed green. Tertials dark olive-brown. Upper wing coverts slate blue-grey. White stripe along upper flanks. Central (shortest) undertail coverts black, remainder white. Bill bright red, tipped yellow; frontal shield bright red. Eyes crimson. Legs and feet yellow, upper tibia orange to orange-red.
Juveniles are above dark brown; below buffy, paler in centre of belly; iris grayish brown; bill and frontal shield greenish brown; legs and feet greenish, garter yellow. Juvenile may be distinguished from juvenile Lesser Moorhen by its larger size, dark bill and greyer colour.
Similar species: Smaller ad Lesser Moorhen has predominantly yellow (not red) bill, and greenish (not yellow) legs. Juv has pale yellowish green (not blackish) bill, paler, browner neck and greyish white (not buffy) mid-breast to vent; lacks white flank stripe. Juv Allen's Gallinule lacks white flank stripe and has strongly scalloped upper parts.

Distribution
Occurs extensively worldwide between 65° North and 40° South, largely excluding forested and desert areas; it occupies much of sub-Saharan Africa. In southern Africa the subspecies G. c. meridionalis is locally common in Zimbabwe, northern and south-eastern Botswana, Namibia (including the Caprivi Strip), South Africa and parts of Mozambique.



Habitat
Any stretch of fresh water surrounded by reeds and tall grasses.

Diet
Omnivorous and opportunistic, feeding on a variety of invertebrates, seeds, fruit, birds eggs and tadpoles. It does most of its foraging by walking on floating plants or swimming, grabbing prey from vegetation, the ground and the water surface.

Breeding
Monogamous, territorial solitary nester, breeding in cooperative groups which usually consist of the breeding pair and a number of helpers. These are usually juveniles from the previous brood brought up by the pair, as it usually rears multiple broods per breeding season. The nest is built by the female with material provided by the male, consisting of a a shallow bowl of plant stems and sedges. It is typically hidden in or between clumps of reeds (Phragmites), sedges or Bulrushes (Typha capensis), or in the low branches of a flooded tree. Egg-laying season is year-round, peaking from June-August in Zimbabwe and from August-March in South Africa. Eggs are dark buff to grayish white, spotted, freckled and blotched with red-brown and slate. It lays 4-9 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for about 21-22 days, with the female taking the day shift and the male taking the night shift. The chicks leave the nest within 1-2 days of hatching and are cared for by both parents and helpers. They are capable of foraging for themselves at approximately three weeks old, taking their first flight at 40-50 days old.

Call
Common Moorhens utter a range of clucking sounds, and call in a high-pitched krrrik. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Common resident.

[Flutterby]

226. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus



© nan

© Joan

© Mel

© Amoli
Juvenile


Juvenile, Kgalagadi, Lijersdraai © GavinW

© BluTuna
Austin Roberts Bird Sanctary, Gauteng

© Sharifa
Immature. Garden Route National Park, Wilderness

Links:
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/spp_summary.ph ... &section=3
Ian Sinclair. SASOL VOELS VAN SUIDER AFRICA (3de UIT)

[Pumbaa]

227. Lesser Moorhen Paragallinula angulata (Kleinwaterhoender)
Order: Gruiformes, Family: Rallidae

Lesser Moorhen.jpg (38.61 KiB) Viewed 1377 times

Description
Size: 23 - 27 cm. Greyish black plumage with white lateral flank line and white undertail coverts. Yellow bill.
Juvenile is sandy buff with a dull, yellowish green bill and legs.
Similar species: Similar to Common Moorhen but is smaller, with less conspicuous white flank feathers, and has a mainly yellow (not red) bill. Far more secretive than Common Moorhen and in flight is thinner and more elongate.

Distribution
Occurs sub-Saharan Africa; in southern Africa it is locally common in northern Namibia (including the Caprivi Strip), northern and eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe and north-eastern South Africa.



Habitat
It generally prefers freshwater wetlands such as swamps, marshes, ponds, sewage ponds and seasonally inundated grassland and flood plains. Skulking, and usually heard rather than seen.

Movements and migrations: Intra-African breeding migrant, breeding in southern Africa and adjacent countries in the period from November-May, mainly December-April.

Diet
Mainly eats insects, seeds and flowers of reeds and molluscs, doing most of its foraging along the water's edge, plucking prey from the mud and vegetation.

Breeding
Monogamous territorial solitary nester, arriving at its breeding grounds soon after floods. The nest is a shallow grass cup on a platform of bent live grass or sedge stems, flimsy at first but becoming progressively stronger as more material is added. Egg-laying season is from November-March, peaking from January-February. It lays 4-9 eggs, which are mainly incubated by the female for about 19-20 days. The chicks take their first flight at about 35-38 days old, becoming fully independent roughly 5-6 weeks later.

Call
A series of hollow notes, do do do do do do do.

Status
Locally common but erratic summer visitor.

[Pumbaa]

227. Lesser Moorhen Paragallinula angulata




Kruger National Park

Links:
Species Text Sabap1
Sabap2

[nan]

228. Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata (Bleshoender)
Order: Gruiformes. Family: Rallidae

Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata.jpg (33.01 KiB) Viewed 1474 times

Description
Size 41-46 cm; weight: male 825 g female 635 g. A black, duck-like bird with red eyes, a white bill and white, unfeathered forehead. The two red knobs on the forehead swell and become more noticeable during the breeding season. Sexes alike.
The juvenile is paler than the adult, has a white breast, and lacks the facial shield; the adult's black plumage develops when about 3-4 months old, but the white shield is only fully developed at about one year old. Juvenile differs from the smaller juvenile Common Moorhen in lacking the white undertail coverts.

Distribution
Occurs from southern Spain to Morocco and Algeria, with a separate population in sub-Saharan Africa. Within southern Africa it is common in South Africa, also occupying Namibia, northern and south-eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe and southern Mozambique.



Habitat
Dams, pans and lakes: virtually any stretch of fresh water except, fast-flowing rivers.

Diet
Mainly eats plant material, supplemented with molluscs, crustaceans and insects, doing most of its foraging in shallow water, standing or swimming in search of food on the water surface.

Breeding
Monogamous, territorial solitary nester, breeding cooperatively in small groups. The nest is built by both sexes and occasionally juvenile helpers, consisting of a floating pile of sedge, reed, Bulrush (Typha capensis) and weed stems, leaves and grass. It is typically placed in deep water out in the open or among vegetation. Egg-laying season is year-round, peaking from about July to November. The female lays 2-6, rarely up to 11 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for about 18-25 days, changing over frequently. The chicks leave the nest within a day of hatching and are cared for by both parents and juvenile helpers. They are divided into groups, each cared for by one or two adults, eventually fledging at approximately 55-60 days old.

Call
Red-knobbed Coots give a variety of calls, the most frequent being kowk kowk or klaak klaak. Listen to Bird Call.

Spoor


Status
Common resident.

[nan]

228. Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata

© nan

© Peter Connan

© Sharifa

© Joan

© Toko

© Toko
West Coast National Park

Links:
Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds
Sabap2
Roberts online
Oiseaux net
Coots, in: Trevor Carnaby. Beat about the Bush: Birds