Photo: ChriKo / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Crake
Zapornia flavirostra
Black Crake (Zapornia flavirostra) — Cranes & Rails of Africa.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Crake (Zapornia flavirostra) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 86.2 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 Zapornia
- Species flavirostra
Quick facts
- Weight
- 86.2 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Rallidae
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Crake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black Crake is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Crake (Zapornia flavirostra) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 86.2 g, with a wing length of about 9.9 cm and a tail of around 4.1 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 16.7 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Crake?
The Black Crake is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 86.2 g.
Where does the Black Crake live?
The Black Crake is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Black Crake belong to?
The Black Crake (Zapornia flavirostra) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.
What does the Black Crake eat?
The Black Crake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Black Crake migrate?
The Black Crake is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black 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 Black Crake make?
1 real field recording of the Black Crake — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black Crake's range?
The Black Crake has a mapped global range of about 16.7 million 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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