Appearance:

Most likely to be confused with Little Crake (P. parva). Most important field characters is the very short primary projection and lack of red base of bill. Some caution should be taken as missing or unorderly tertials can be confusing with regards to the projection, and immature Little Crake may sometimes also lack red base of bill. Flanks and belly more extensively barred than P. parva. Upperparts richer brown with white spots. Sexes alike, but females often with paler throat. Brown cheeks occurs in both sexes. Legs dirty olive colour and bill greenish. Immature even more easily confused with P. parva, but apart from the missing projection, note warmer brown upperparts and more heavily barred underparts, even on breast. Crown less evenly coloured than P. parva, with blackish speckles.

Sound:

Rich repertiore. Male song easily overlooked due to similarity to The edible frog Pelophylax esculentus., and to being audible only a few hundred meters. The sound, a rolling "trrrrrrrr", differs from frogs in being drier and more stable in pitch. Sometimes the pitch rises slightly in the beginning of the call, but then remains stable also at the end. The call is uttered in 1-2 seconds intervals and each call is 2-3 seconds long. Some overtone modulation is common (stable pitch but change of vocal "ooeeii"). Unmated female sings with a more hurried "wirrr". Alarm call a series of nasal, hoarse "weeat" or a sharp "kriik".

Male song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sound:Edmunds Racinskis, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Peter Jacobs Photos, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:gilgit2, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Marc Herremans, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Marc Herremans, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Small bustard about the seize of female pheasant. Stocky body, small head, slender neck and fairly long legs. Male: Grey head, black neck with two white rings, finely vermiculated upperparts and white underparts. Odd short p7 in male. Female lacks black neck and all upperparts are a vermiculated sandy brown. Young and non-breeding males similar to females, but often with a hint of white breast-band and more clearly defined white underparts. Told from Great Bustard in flight by clear cut black wing-tips and primary coverts in sharp contrast to white wing, and white secondaries. Flushed birds take off in noisy, grouse-like manner with rapid wing-beats and interspersed short glides on bowed wings. Longer flight with quick wing-beats mostly below level of back.

Sound:

Wings in male produces a whistling sound when flying and in display flight. Flushed birds give a hoarse grunt "ugh". Female sometimes utters e mewing "miee". Male song a short and dry "prrrt", that is far reaching. Given from ground in display in 5 - 10 seconds intervals with raised neck-feathers and jumps in the air.

Song, wing-noise:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-photo:Viskens Michel, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Hans Verdaat, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Viskens Michel, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Pedro N. Ramalho, Licence,Link.