Yellow-breasted Crake
Laterallus flaviventer
Yellow-breasted Crake (Laterallus flaviventer) — Cranes & Rails of North America.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Yellow-breasted Crake (Laterallus flaviventer) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 24.9 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 flaviventer
Where it lives
Caribbean and southern Mexico to southeastern SA
Quick facts
- Weight
- 24.9 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Rallidae
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Yellow-breasted Crake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Yellow-breasted Crake is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Yellow-breasted Crake (Laterallus flaviventer) is a member of the Rallidae family, within the order Gruiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA Caribbean and s Mexico to se SA.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 24.9 g, with a wing length of about 6.6 cm and a tail of around 2.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Yellow-breasted Crake?
The Yellow-breasted Crake is a small bird that weighs around 24.9 g.
Where does the Yellow-breasted Crake live?
The Yellow-breasted Crake is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA Caribbean and s Mexico to se SA, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Yellow-breasted Crake belong to?
The Yellow-breasted Crake (Laterallus flaviventer) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.
What does the Yellow-breasted Crake eat?
The Yellow-breasted Crake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Yellow-breasted Crake migrate?
The Yellow-breasted Crake is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Yellow-breasted 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 Yellow-breasted Crake make?
1 real field recording of the Yellow-breasted 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 Yellow-breasted Crake's range?
The Yellow-breasted Crake has a mapped global range of about 2.6 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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