Ruddy-breasted Crake, 4/17/2012

Heard that Water Rails and Ruddy-breasted Crakes appeared in Guizikeng Big Gutter area of Taipei City, I picked a sunny day to photograph the birds. As I arrived at the site, there were about 20 birdwatching fans there already, with their big long-range lens cameras. They occupied all the best shooting positions. Soon one guy left after finishing his job, so I took the position he left and had a better position to take pictures. It's so close that the birds would occupy the full area of the viewing window of my camera. Birds of a feather flock together. Soon my targeted birds, one Water Rail and two Ruddy-breasted Crakes, appeared from bushes. They were not shy, but the Ruddy-breasted Crakes were always moving, testing the capability of my compact digital camera and my skill.

Apparently Ruddy-breasted Crakes are so named due to their outstanding maroon breast and belly. They are Taiwan endemic subspecies. They are said to be common in Taiwan, but in fact they are not easy to spot.


Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Video recorded on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.

Chinese name:	緋秧雞
English name:	Ruddy-breasted Crake
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Porzana fusca
Order:	Gruiformes
Family:	Rallidae
Species status:	Taiwan endemic subspecies
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Taiwan local bird
Frequency of appearance:	Common in Taiwan
Foods:	Fishes, seeds, insects
Habitat:	Wetlands
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Appear alone
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: Abot 20 centimeters in length. Tail is short and often upturned. Face, forehead, breast, belly and feet are maroon. Head top, back neck, back and side body are mainly greenish brown. The rest are blackish brown. There are white stripes on undertail coverts.
Breeding places:	Worldwide, subspecies in mainland China and Taiwan include: Porzana fusca bakeri - Szechwan and Yunnan provinces of China, etc. Porzana fusca erythrothorax - Liaoning, Hebei, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fukien, Guangdong, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Shandong provinces of China, etc. Porzana fusca phaeopyga - Taiwan.
Migration destinations:
Time photographed:	4/17/2012
Location found:	Beitou District, Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes: