Wednesday 25 September 2013

White-browed Crake

Again it is Wednesday and today I show you another Australian bird.  This week it is the turn of the White-browed Crake - Amaurornis cinerea.  Just to put you in the picture, I was staying at my daughters and I got the know the man who owned a commercial fish farm 10 minutes from her home and he asked me to come onto his property and record the birds that were present. During my stay in Australia, I probably went nearly every week so over time you will see more birds that I found there.  At the end of the photos I have a short video.


Below is  a part of Barra Farm and very close to where I photographed the White - browed Crake.


The size of this bird is between 18–20 cm
I am going to show you the photos in the order that I took them and at the beginning this bird was quite a distance away from me and walked in and out of the vegetation.


Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.   They are found on wetlands with waterlilies or other floating plants – billabongs, swamps, flood waters – also surrounding forest or woodland. Unlike other secretive Crakes of dense reed beds, the White-browed forages across lily pads and other floating vegetation, helped by its very long toes. It occasionally flutters low across intervening water.  


At the time of the year that I was in Queensland, it was hot and I   usually was out from 6.30am and by 8.30am the sun was so hot that I had to pack it in as where I was walking had no shade whatsoever.



 
Breeding
September.–April. Builds in dense reeds or grass in the shallows of a swamp or lake. The small, shallow bowl often has vegetation pulled over to form a rather sparse hood or canopy, and a ramp slopes down to the water.


 
The White - browed Crake usually has 4–8 oval eggs (28 x 20 mm).

Incubation is undertaken by both the male and female birds for about 21 days.

 

When the newly hatched chicks are born, their down is black and  becomes rusty tan when they are half-grown.












 As I told you, I was up and out just after sunrise and these birds are
most active after sunrise, near sunset and beneath overcast skies. 
Calls include a chattering ‘kiak-kiak-kiak’, ‘chika-chika’, a frog-croaked ‘kak’, and a soft ‘charr-ar, charr-ar’ in danger and if you listen carefully on the video, you will hear the sound that it is making. 

These last 2 photographs below were taken at a difference place and you can see the White -browed Crake walking on Water Lily leaves.




You can access the video at


 If there is a black space below, click it and the video will appear.

 

I hope you are enjoyed a very different bird this week from Australia.

Thank you for visiting.

I am linking this post with Wild Bird Wednesday.

50 comments:

  1. Great post Margaret - really interesting and some lovely photos :)

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  2. It is a cute bird. Great sighting Margaret! Wonderful photos of the Crake!

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  3. What a gorgeous bird, and not one I see in my part of Oz. Thank you.

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    1. Hi EC Glad you enjoyed the post . Thanks for comment. Taken near Innisfail, Queensland

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  4. It's SO great you got that close!! From the scenery it looks like somewhere in Far North Qld?? Maybe even on the Atherton Tableland???

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    1. Hi Red Glad you enjoyed the post . Thanks for comment. Taken near Innisfail, Queensland

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  5. A lovely post Margaret, very interesting to read and see.

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    1. HI Denise Glad you enjoyed the whole post . Thanks for comment.

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  6. Lovely post about a beautiful and very interesting bird.

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    1. HI Gunilla Glad you found this bird and information interesting. Thanks for comment.

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  7. Wonderfull serial shots, congratulations for this post.

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    1. Hi Retriever Glad you enjoyed the post . Thanks for comment.

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  8. another beautiful shorebird with striking eye!

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    1. HI Tex Yes the eye is a good way to ID this bird. Glad you enjoyed the post . Thanks for comment.

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  9. Some beautiful shots of Australian Crake, love it.

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  10. Wonderful photos Margaret. I would be out early morning and finish early too with that heat. I haven't been to Australia . . . what fun it would be.

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    1. HI Lynne Many thanks for your kind comments. I am sure there is still time for you ot go to Australia.

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  11. Crakes and rails are normally such secretive creatures that I am amazed and surprised you got such wonderful pictures Margaret.

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    1. HI Phil Yes they are difficult to photograph but I got a lucky break and it worked. Very glad you liked the shots and thanks for your comment.

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  12. Fabulous looking bird and wonderful photos of course!

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    1. HI Em Glad you liked the bird and shots of it. Thanks for comments

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  13. Hi Margaret!
    I always admire your photos.
    There is plenty of sunshine in them.
    Are you always in the beautiful sunny weather?
    Thanks to you I learn a lot of interesting information.
    Have an interesting and beautiful blog.
    I send greetings from distant Polish.
    Lucia

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    1. HI Lucja Very glad you thought the post was interesting and you liked the shots. thanks for comments

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  14. The first picture is my favorite, it looks like you are standing right beside him!!! And he is a beauty with those head markings and the red eyes. I also love the reflections in numbers 6 and 7, it looks like he is admiring himself in the water. And the ones with him walking among the water lilies, fabulous! Another bird I did not know about.

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    1. HI Ginny I am so glad you enjoyed the post. thanks you for telling me the ones you liked best.

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  15. nice shots and video. A very beautifully colored bird. Wish all birds would behave like that. Then birding would be much more fun.

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    1. H Yes I suppose it would certainly help photographing them. Thanksfor your comment and glad you enjoyd the shots and video.I

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  16. It looks like you were birding in beautiful countryside, Margaret. I love these captures. The first one really shows off that distinctive facial pattern.

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    1. HI Yes you are correct. It is very beautiful countryside. I am glad you enojed the post. Thanks for the comment.

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  17. WoW...fabulous eyes and a beautiful feather pattern. wonderful up-close images!!!

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    1. HI Debbie I am glad you enojed the post. Thanks for the comment.

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    1. HI Betty I am glad you enojed the post and thought this bird cute. Thanks for the comment.

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  19. You really captured some beautiful photos, Margaret. I think my favorite was the one of the bird in the dried grass.

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    1. Hi Linda I am glad you enojed the post. Thanks for the comment. Glad you liked the images.

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  20. He is quite a handsome bird! You got a couple of reflections that I particularly like.
    That early in the morning and hot enough to have to pack it in - sounds miserable. :)
    The farm is a beautiful landscape.

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    1. Hi Carletta I am glad you enjoyed the reflections.. Thanks for the comment. I was very hot, pespiring but NEVER miserable.

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  21. It must have been great to visit a different part of the world and see birds so different from home. I love the reflections in the photos, too!

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    1. Hi Debbie Yes I love travelling and seeing different places and birds. Many thanks for your comments and glad you enljoed the post.

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  22. You got a beautiful set of the photographs..the bird looking cute in your photos. my new post has been updated about an amazing land "Gulmarg- A Heaven of Kashmir Valley"..hope you will enjoy it..

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    1. HI ER Many thanks for your comments and I am glad you enjoyed the post.

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  23. Very interesting and fantastic photos! Thanks...

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  24. HI Pat Many thanks for kind comments and glad you enjoyed the posp.

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  25. Lovely photos, and always much to learn. Love the shot of the Crake walking on the water lilies. I like how the flowers stick out above the water.

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    1. HI Pattis Glad you liked the post and have learned something new and thanks for comment.

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