Birdsong field guide
Paint-billed Crake
Mustelirallus erythrops
The Paint-billed Crake is a secretive, medium-sized rail characterized by its olive-brown plumage and a striking bi-colored bill with a distinctive red base.
What it sounds like
A rapid, descending series of rhythmic 'gek' or 'kek' notes that often accelerate into a mechanical-sounding trill.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- The bill features a bright red spot at the base of the lower mandible, contrasting with a yellowish-green tip.
- Though native to South and Central America, it is a notorious long-distance wanderer with rare records as far north as Pennsylvania and Quebec.
- Unlike many rails that prefer deep water, this species often inhabits drier, dense grassy areas and scrub adjacent to wetlands.
- It is primarily crepuscular or nocturnal, rarely emerging from thick cover during the bright hours of the day.
- Both sexes are monomorphic, displaying similar grayish underparts and bright red legs and irises.
Habitat
Freshwater marshes, damp grasslands, rice paddies, and moist second-growth scrub.
Range
Primarily South America east of the Andes and Central America, including the Galapagos Islands.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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