Spotlight on the Spotless Crake

The Western Treatment Plant’s Crake Pit has been quite active with a number of crake species taking up residence over the Summer, through Autumn and on into the Winter. A few seem to have even bred and had chicks in the Pit. When visiting I have seen quite a few Spotted Crakes and Baillon’s Crakes but not too many Spotless Crakes. We were quite pleased to see one slowly poke its head through the reeds and then come out to feed. It even had an altercation with an aggressive Spotted Crake.

The Spotless Crake has a few names: formally Porzana tabuensis  – Porzana is the Italian (Venetian) name for smaller crake, and Tabuensis after the location of the first Spotless Crake described – Tongapatu, Kingdom of Tonga. Informally the crake has been called Leaden Crake, Spotless Water Crake, Little Swamphen, Swamp Rail and the Motor-car Bird – after one of the revving sounds it makes.

Spotless Crake, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

II

a skulking Spotless Crake

IV

Part of the Crake Pit, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria

Spotted and Spotless Crakes – the Spotted moved around and behind the Spotted, who did not seem to notice

But once the Spotless started to glean insects from around the feet of the Spotted, the Spotted finally noticed it and exploded and attacked the bigger Spotless…

The Crake Pit, Western Treatment Plant, Victoria