Photo: Peter Jacobs from Australia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cranes & Rails

Australian Crake

Porzana fluminea

Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea) — Cranes & Rails of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia

By family

Rails, Crakes & Coots of Australia Rails, Crakes & Coots of New South Wales Rails, Crakes & Coots of Northern Territory Rails, Crakes & Coots of Queensland Rails, Crakes & Coots of Tasmania Rails, Crakes & Coots of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 60.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Gruiformes
Family Rallidae Rails, Crakes & Coots
Genus Porzana
Species fluminea

Where it lives

Australia (except northern, south-central)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 60.8 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Australian Crake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Australian Crake is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea) is a member of the Rallidae family, within the order Gruiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia (except n, sc).

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 60.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.7 cm and a tail of around 4.9 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2 million km².

Songs & calls

Australian Crake — Song / call

Recorded by Richard Boon Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Australian Crake?

The Australian Crake is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 60.8 g.

Where does the Australian Crake live?

The Australian Crake is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia (except n, sc), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Australian Crake belong to?

The Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Australian Crake eat?

The Australian Crake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Australian Crake migrate?

The Australian Crake is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Australian 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 Australian Crake make?

1 real field recording of the Australian Crake can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Australian Crake's range?

The Australian Crake has a mapped global range of about 2 million km².