Little Crake
Zapornia parva
Tiny, with long wings and a short greenish bill with a small red base. Face and underparts are plain slaty gray on male, and buffy to whitish on female and juvenile. Adults have plain flanks and boldly barred undertail coverts. Juvenile has barred flanks; compare to similar Baillon’s Crake. Breeds in freshwater wetlands with extensive emergent vegetation, and spends the non-breeding season in a wide range of marshy habitats. Often favors deeper-water aquatic plant stands than other rails and crakes, clambering about nimbly amongst the vegetation. Usually retiring and rarely seen, but can be confiding. Males give a long song that starts with a series of “qwek” notes that eventually accelerates and tapers off; females respond with a descending trill with a similar quality.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Zapornia parva
- Authority
- (Scopoli, 1769)
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Zapornia
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- PAL : s and c Europe to nw China
- Non-breeding range
- c Africa
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Nicholson's Pipit
Anthus nicholsoni
A large, slender pipit that is usually found in rocky areas. Note the pale eyebrow, long tail, and relatively long bill. Prefers dry, open areas with clumps of vegetation and scattered rocks and boulders, typically on slopes. Calls include squeaky sparrow-like chirps and sweet two-noted whistles. Song is a sequence of plaintive whistles, chirps, and other call-like vocalizations strung together with pauses in between. As with many other pipits, can be frustratingly difficult to identify in the field. Habitat and voice are important clues. Very similar to Mountain Pipit, but less streaky, especially on the breast. Larger than African Pipit, with buffy rather than white outer tail feathers.
Bolivian Tapaculo
Scytalopus bolivianus
Small, mouse-like bird found mainly in the Bolivian Andes. Despite the name, it also ranges over the border into far southeastern Peru, but does not reach Manu. The small white patch on the crown is distinctive, but can be hard to see from some angles and may be absent on some birds. Plumage is otherwise mostly grayish-brown with rusty barring on the lower underparts. Adult males are darker than females and juveniles. Does not occur together with the similar White-crowned Tapaculo. Inhabits the understory of humid forest, and usually very hard to see. Vocalizations include a long, very rapid trill and a slower series of sharp chips.
Western Tragopan
Tragopan melanocephalus
A large, short-tailed pheasant. Male appears mostly dark with prominent white dots all over. Note the bright orange patch on the breast, the red hindneck, the reddish face bordered by a black crown and ears, and the blue throat. The female is brownish-gray with paler underparts, and is finely streaked with white. Inhabits undisturbed montane forests with dense undergrowth. Feeds on the ground, but is known to roost in trees. Call is a short, nasal wail.
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