One of Africa’s most striking and surprisingly bold wetland birds. Unlike many of its close relatives in the rail and crake family—birds that are often shy and hard to spot—the black crake is known for its confident behavior, often strutting out in the open near water’s edge, seemingly unbothered by nearby people or animals. Its unique appearance and outgoing nature make it one of the most recognizable birds in the marshes, swamps, and reed beds across sub-Saharan Africa.
True to its name, the adult black crake is almost entirely jet black, with a bright yellow bill, deep red eyes, and long red legs and feet. Its vivid colors contrast beautifully with its dark body, making it stand out more than most crakes, even when moving among reeds or muddy shorelines. Both sexes look alike, although males are usually slightly larger.
The black crake is typically found near freshwater marshes, swamps, flooded grasslands, and the edges of lakes and rivers, especially where there is dense vegetation. It forages along the shore or in shallow water, feeding on a wide variety of insects, snails, frogs, small fish, seeds, and plant material. It’s an opportunistic feeder and has even been seen scavenging from animal carcasses—an unusual behavior for a bird of its size.
One of the black crake’s most fascinating traits is its unusually bold behavior. While many rails and crakes are secretive, darting into cover at the slightest disturbance, the black crake often walks confidently out in the open, even around human activity. This makes it much easier to observe than other members of its genus, and a favorite among birdwatchers. It’s also known for its loud, chattering calls, which can sound like a series of rapid clucks, squawks, or short screams, especially during the breeding season.
Distribution
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Central Af. Rep.
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
Côte D’ivoire
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Djibouti
Equatorial Guinea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
Kenya
Liberia
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Portugal
Rwanda
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Zambia
ZimbabweAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
