Appearance:

Pale and dark morphs. Often difficult to distinguish from Arctic Skua. Adults with broad, spoon-shaped streamers. These are moulted twice a year, so adults lacking these are not uncommon. The dark cap reaches around the bill base and down to the chin. Breast band in pale morph is generally broader and more pronounced than in Arctic Skua, but in some males it is lacking altogether. Leaves an overall more robust and powerful impression than Arctic. Wings are broader than the distance from trailing wing-edge to tip of tail (streamers excluded), while the hand seems shorter. The light patches at the base of the primaries are more obvious, and many young birds shows a characteristic double patch, formed by additional white base of greater primary coverts (like Lesser Spotted Eagle). Rump and vent of juveniles usually boldly barred, in contrast to unbarred back and belly (visible even in dark morph). Streamers never pointed (in any plumage). Flight pattern straighter, and more determined than in Arctic Skua.

Sound:

Short "kea" or "ke", and various mewing calls, usually deeper pitched than Arctic Skua. Also a characteristic, laughing and vibrating "kayayayayaya", heard mostly on breeding ground.

Alarm/flight 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

CC-photo:loarie, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:jerryoldenettel, Licence,Link.

Sounds:CC. http://www.xeno-canto.org .Recorded by Andrew Spencer.

Appearance:

Differs from Baillon's Crake in long primary projection in all plumages. At least 5 tips of primaries visible behind tertials. Adult birds show red base of bill, but this is sometimes difficult to see and immature may lack this altogether. Male with lead grey underparts, female with grey face and buff underparts. Immature with barred and spotted underparts but less so than immature Baillon's. The crown is also more evenly dark together with dark ear coverts. The species appears slimmer than Baillon's Crake due to longer neck, tail and legs.

Sound:

Rich repertoire of calls used freely in breeding season. Male song diagnostic. A loud series of short, nasal ascending "quek" repeated every one and a half seconds or so, before accelerating and descending at the same time to a more guttural voice. Female song with similar short "quek" but with less pure tone and in shorter series (sometimes just one call), immediately followed by a rolling trill.

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

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:Rudo Jureček, Licence,Link.

CC-Photo:Arie en Anneke Kolders, Licence,Link.

CC-Photo:Jorrit Vlot, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:gilgit2, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:gilgit2, Licence,Link.