Zapornia bicolor
The Black-tailed Crake, *Zapornia bicolor*, is a remarkably elusive and strikingly plumaged member of the rail family (Rallidae), measuring approximately 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) in length and weighing 60-80 grams. Its distinctive field marks include dark olive-brown upperparts contrasting sharply with a solid black breast and belly, giving it its 'bicolor' name, complemented by a bright red bill and dark legs. This species belongs to the genus *Zapornia*, which was recently reclassified from *P...
Found primarily in dense montane wetlands, including marshes, swamps, overgrown rice paddies, and moist clearings, typically at elevations between 800 and 2500 meters.
Feeds primarily on small invertebrates such as insects, worms, and mollusks, supplemented by seeds and various plant matter, foraging by probing mud and gleaning from vegetation.
The Black-tailed Crake is intensely secretive and largely crepuscular or nocturnal, spending most of its time hidden within dense vegetation. Foraging involves probing the muddy substrates and dense aquatic plants for small invertebrates. Territorial behavior is primarily marked by vocalizations,...
The Black-tailed Crake is a resident species found across a discontinuous range in South and Southeast Asia. Its distribution spans from the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, Nepal, and Bhutan, eastward through parts of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, and into southe...
Least Concern
- One of the most elusive birds in its range, often detected solely by its characteristic vocalizations rather than direct sighting. - Formerly placed in the genus *Porzana*, its reclassification to *Zapornia* reflects modern phylogenetic understanding of crake evolutionary relationships. - Its c...