CRAKE/RAIL 5/6 November 2025 - Red-legged Crake (Lifer 586/688)

Taman Botani Negara Shah Alam can be a place for surprises for vagrants and migrant birds. The last time  was a Slaty-legged Crake which stayed for a while. After the last sighting of the Red-legged Crake about 3-4 years back I was really hoping that it will reappear. That time it stayed for just a couple of days. Then my good friend who regular bird there gave me a head up that a crake has been sighted for the past week there. After confirming that it was my lifer I immediate make arrangement to go the following morning before it leave without notice; as I believe it a passage migrant. Some says it a nomad local bird that moved around  vast territory. For the record It was also sighted in Frasers Hill which I missed it by a day 2 years back. 

The Red-legged Crake (Rallina fasciata) is a striking yet elusive bird of dense wet forests and swampy undergrowth across Southeast Asia and parts of northern Australia. Known for its rich colour plumage and bright crimson legs, this medium-sized crake is more often heard than seen, skulking through thick vegetation in search of invertebrates and seeds. As a member of the rail family (Rallidae), it exhibits many of the typical rail characteristics—secretive habits, strong legs for walking, and short, rounded wings for brief flights. Despite its rarity in sightings, the Red-legged Crake plays a vital role in the health of tropical wetland ecosystems. (extract simplybirding.com)

The Red-legged Crake is a medium-sized bird, measuring around 24–28 cm in length. It has a relatively short tail, rounded wings, and long, strong legs that are distinctly bright red or crimson, giving the species its name. The plumage is chestnut to rich rufous-brown on the head, neck, and upperparts, transitioning to bold black and white barring on the flanks and underparts.

The eyes are bright red, adding to its vivid appearance, and the bill is greenish to grey, often with a darker tip. The bird’s combination of warm chestnut tones and zebra-like flanks makes it unmistakable when seen clearly—though such views are usually fleeting.

Juveniles are duller in colour, with more muted barring and paler legs, gradually acquiring the adult’s vibrant hues as they mature.

Red-legged Crakes are mainly terrestrial, spending most of their time walking quietly through dense ground vegetation in search of food. They are shy and reclusive, making them challenging to observe in the wild. When disturbed, they are more likely to run and disappear into cover than take flight, although they can fly short distances when necessary.

They are usually solitary or seen in pairs and are most active during the early morning and late afternoon. Their diet includes insects, worms, snails, seeds, and other small invertebrates, which they forage for by probing in soft soil or leaf litter.

One of the most common ways birders detect the presence of a Red-legged Crake is by its distinctive vocalisations. Its call is a series of harsh, grating, or clucking notes, often delivered at dusk or during the wet season when breeding activity peaks.

Breeding typically coincides with the monsoon or wet season, when water and food resources are abundant. In Australia, this is usually from December to March, though the timing varies throughout the bird’s broader range. The nest is a loosely constructed platform of leaves and grass, usually hidden in thick vegetation or in low bushes near water. The female lays 3 to 6 buff-coloured eggs with reddish or brown blotches. Both parents share incubation duties, which last for approximately 18–20 days. Chicks are precocial—hatching fully feathered and ready to leave the nest within a day or two to follow the parents and forage.