Photo: Dominic Sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ruddy Crake
Laterallus ruber
Ruddy Crake (Laterallus ruber) — Cranes & Rails of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ruddy Crake (Laterallus ruber) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 44.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Gruiformes
- Family Rallidae Rails, Crakes & Coots
- Genus Laterallus
- Species ruber
Quick facts
- Weight
- 44.4 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Rallidae
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ruddy Crake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Ruddy Crake is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ruddy Crake (Laterallus ruber) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA e Mexico to Costa Rica.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 44.4 g, with a wing length of about 8.2 cm and a tail of around 3.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 557,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ruddy Crake?
The Ruddy Crake is a small bird that weighs around 44.4 g.
Where does the Ruddy Crake live?
The Ruddy Crake is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA e Mexico to Costa Rica, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Ruddy Crake belong to?
The Ruddy Crake (Laterallus ruber) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.
What does the Ruddy Crake eat?
The Ruddy Crake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Ruddy Crake migrate?
The Ruddy Crake is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ruddy Crake endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Ruddy Crake make?
1 real field recording of the Ruddy Crake — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Ruddy Crake's range?
The Ruddy Crake has a mapped global range of about 557,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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