Photo: Frankzed from Melbourne, Australia / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cranes & Rails

Spotless Crake

Zapornia tabuensis

Spotless Crake (Zapornia tabuensis) — Cranes & Rails of South & Southeast Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of New Zealand Birds of the Philippines Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania

By family

Rails, Crakes & Coots of Australia Rails, Crakes & Coots of Indonesia Rails, Crakes & Coots of New Zealand Rails, Crakes & Coots of the Philippines Rails, Crakes & Coots of New South Wales Rails, Crakes & Coots of Northern Territory Rails, Crakes & Coots of Queensland Rails, Crakes & Coots of Tasmania

See what's near you right now

The Spotless Crake (Zapornia tabuensis) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 42.2 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 Zapornia
Species tabuensis

Where it lives

Luzon and Mindoro (northern Philippines), Timor (eastern Lesser Sundas), Australasian region and Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 42.2 g
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Spotless Crake is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

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

Migration

The Spotless Crake is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Spotless Crake (Zapornia tabuensis) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR, AU Luzon and Mindoro (n Philippines), Timor (e Lesser Sundas), Australasian region and Oceania.

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 42.2 g, with a wing length of about 8 cm and a tail of around 3.6 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 2.3 million km².

Songs & calls

Spotless Crake — Begging call

Recorded by Rob Licence: CC BY 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Spotless Crake?

The Spotless Crake is a small bird that weighs around 42.2 g.

Where does the Spotless Crake live?

The Spotless Crake is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR, AU Luzon and Mindoro (n Philippines), Timor (e Lesser Sundas), Australasian region and Oceania, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Spotless Crake belong to?

The Spotless Crake (Zapornia tabuensis) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Spotless Crake eat?

The Spotless Crake is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Spotless Crake migrate?

The Spotless Crake is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Spotless 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 Spotless Crake make?

1 real field recording of the Spotless Crake — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Spotless Crake's range?

The Spotless Crake has a mapped global range of about 2.3 million km².