# Black Crake (*Zapornia flavirostra*) The Black Crake is a small, colorful bird that loves to live near water. It has a bright yellow bill and can often be seen walking around in wetlands, looking for tasty bugs and seeds. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Black Crake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Black_crake2.jpg&width=800) Photo: ChriKo, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_crake2.jpg) ## Appearance The Black Crake is a small, entirely black bird with striking bright yellow legs and a vivid yellow bill. Its plumage is uniformly sooty black, making the contrasting yellow features highly visible and distinct from other dark marsh birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Gruiformes - **Family:** Rallidae - **Genus:** Amaurornis ## Interesting facts - A baby Black Crake is covered in fluffy black down when it hatches! - Despite being a water bird, Black Crakes do not have webbed feet! - Their eggs can be different shades, even in the same nest! - These secretive birds are much easier to hear calling than they are to spot! ## Special abilities - **Marsh Navigator:** Black Crake can squeeze through dense reeds and grass because of its narrow body shape, helping it hide and move silently. - **Expert Wader:** Black Crake has long, strong toes that help them walk across floating vegetation without sinking, perfect for wetland life. - **Secretive Forager:** Black Crake can deftly probe soft mud with its pointed yellow bill to find hidden insects and larvae. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 19-23 cm - **Wingspan:** 30-40 cm - **Weight:** 0.044-0.087 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Clutch Size:** 2-6 - **Incubation:** 13-19 days - **Migration Distance:** 0 km ## Diet & Feeding Black Crakes are omnivores, munching on insects, small fish, and seeds from aquatic plants. - **Primary Foods:** Insects, Insect larvae, Small fish, Crustaceans, Aquatic seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** African Fish Eagle (*Haliaeetus vocifer*) — Juvenile or adult crakes can be prey for this large raptor. - **Eaten by:** [Nile Monitor](https://www.snappit.app/explore/nile-monitor) (*Varanus niloticus*) — Monitor lizards may prey on crake eggs, chicks, or adults. - **Eaten by:** [African Clawless Otter](https://www.snappit.app/explore/african-clawless-otter) (*Aonyx capensis*) — Otters are opportunistic predators in wetland environments. - **Hunts:** Mosquito (*Anopheles gambiae*) — Crakes feed on mosquito larvae in the water, helping control populations. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black Crake? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Black Crake? 19-23 cm ### What is Black Crake's wingspan? 30-40 cm ### How much does Black Crake weigh? 0.044-0.087 kg ### How long does Black Crake live? 3-7 years ### What does Black Crake eat? Black Crakes are omnivores, munching on insects, small fish, and seeds from aquatic plants. ### Where is Black Crake usually found? Wetlands ### How does Black Crake hunt? Foraging ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Black Crake: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crake)