Appearance:

Largest rail in VP. Clearly bigger than coot, and almost twice the size of Moorhen. Generally unmistakable with its dark, violet blue plumage, long, robust legs and heavy bill. Under tail coverts white. Red frontal shield and bill, pinkish red legs. Immature birds with duller coloured legs, duller plumage and faintly greyish/whitish underparts. Trailing legs obvious in flight. Swims readily.

Sound:

Rich repertiore and very vocal. Sounds range from soft, mewing and laughing to hard, extremely shrill trills. Generally louder, and shriller than congeners. Often merges into, or starts with diagnostic, extremely hard trill "krrrrriiit".

Contact calls:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

An all shiny black crow with diagnostic bare, pale grey base of bill, and "baggy trousers". Juveniles lacks bare bill base and are difficult to separate from Carrion Crow. Young Rooks however, has a steeper forehead and more conical bill with less curved culmen. Tail is more rounded and base of wings more narrow. Flight action includes less gliding than Carrion Crow, and individuals are more spread when a flock flies.

Sound:

Makes similar caws as Carrion Crow, but is harsher, softer, flatter with less rolling r's. Also gives a varied song of soft gurgling and rattling sounds, interwoven with calls at breeding ground.

Contact call:

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

Featherbase

CC