This will be my first lifer for the year 2023 as we Chinese usher the Chinese New year of the Rabbit. I hope to see more lifers and the next target is the Pied Avocet that has arrived in Seberang Perai Penang. Thank Q BnC.
My catch was in Taman Botani Shah Alam which this bird regularly appear during the migration period Nov-Mar. Missed it 2 years back when it sighted in March. Then in Ayer Hitam Penang and Penang Isle. I did not take the effort to go then. I missed it though in Fraser years back as it was on transit back to northern hemisphere.
Slaty-legged crakes are territorial, but are quite secretive, hiding in bushes when disturbed. They probe with their bill in mud or shallow water, also picking up food by sight. They forage for berries and insects on the ground, or clambering through bushes and undergrowth. Here in TBSA the bird was not scared by the 20 odd bird photogs at the port setup and come out as near as 25 feet of us. I was shooting at 1/15s-1/30s at iso 3200 with my Fuji XT-2. It was tough getting it in focus in the low light condition in the early morning. KC Che with his Nikon D500 encounter similar situation. We stayed until we got some decent photos before we walk to other areas to look for the Golden fronted leafbird an escapee/released bird of Thailand. I really wonder how people can stay for hours to shoot thousand of shots of a bird..... perfectionist I guess.
The slaty-legged crake is about 25 cm long. Its body is flattened laterally to allow easier passage through the undergrowth. It has long toes and a short tail. Colouring includes a brown back, chestnut head and breast, and strong black-and-white barring on the flanks, belly and undertail. The throat is white, the bill is yellowish, and the legs are green. Sexes are similar; juveniles are dark brown above and below, although they have the belly barring and white throat. There is another rarer cousin of Slaty-legged namely the Red-legged which have similar features except its legs are red which is also a migrant to peninsula Malaysia. Some overstay and breed here.
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