Bird watching/ birding in Thailand - Watercock, Gallicrex cinerea, นกอีลุ้ม

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Length: Male: 43cm Female: 36cm
Wingspan: 68 à 86 cm
Weight: Male: 476–650 Female: 298–434
Longevity:
Distinctive Feature •
Similar Species From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.
Female / Male / Juvenile • Chicks are black. From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

The Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea) is a waterbird in the rail and crake family, Rallidae. It is the only member of the genus Gallicrex. Traditionally held to be closely related to moorhens (which the adult male visually closely resembles), it is actually member of a mostly tropical Asian clade containing also Aenigmatolimnas, Amaurornis, Himantornis and Megacrex.

Range map from www.oiseaux.net - Ornithological Portal Oiseaux.net

www.oiseaux.net is one of those MUST visit pages if you're in to bird watching. You can find just about everything there

Their breeding habitat is swamps across south Asia from India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to south China, Korea, Japan, Philippines and Indonesia. They nest in a dry location on the ground in marsh vegetation, laying 3-6 eggs. These large rails are mainly permanent residents throughout their range.

The body of this rail is flattened laterally to allow easier passage through the reeds or undergrowth. It has long toes and a short tail.

Adult male watercocks are 43 cm long and weigh 476–650 g. They have mainly black-grey plumage with red legs, bill, extended frontal shield and horn. Young males are buff in colour, darkening as they mature. Their bill is yellow and their legs are green.

Female birds are smaller at 36 cm and 298–434 g. They are dark brown above and paler below. the plumage is streaked and barred with darker markings. The bill is yellow and the legs are green. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails.

Length:
Male: 43cm
Female: 36cm

Wingspan: 68 à 86 cm

Weight: Male: 476–650
Female: 298–434

Longevity:

Distinctive Feature

•

Similar Species

From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

Female / Male / Juvenile

• Chicks are black.

From opus at www.birdforum.net the forum for wild birds and birding.

These birds probe with their bill in mud or shallow water, also picking up food by sight. They mainly eat insects and small fish and seeds. They forage on the ground.

Watercock are quite secretive, but are sometimes seen out in the open. They are noisy birds, especially at dawn and dusk, with a loud, gulping call.

Listen to the Watercock

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

www.birdforum.net

Sighted: (Date of first photo that I could use) 7 December 2020
Location: Thai Tank Terminal jetty TTT 2B, Map Ta Put

Coming back from Greater Bongkot North Field and Pump Man discovered a sleeping Watercock at arrival to Thai Tank Terminal in Map Ta Put 5 o'clock in the morning. He know that I like birds and he brought it to me in my office before we put it in safety out of works way.

Watercock, นกอีลุ้ม - 7 December 2020
Thai Tank Terminal jetty TTT 2B, Map Ta Put

Watercock, นกอีลุ้ม - 21 December 2022
Approaching FSO 2 Pathumabaha at Greater Bongkot North Gas Field

Watercock, นกอีลุ้ม - 21 December 2022
Approaching FSO 2 Pathumabaha at Greater Bongkot North Gas Field

Watercock, นกอีลุ้ม - 21 December 2022
Approaching FSO 2 Pathumabaha at Greater Bongkot North Gas Field

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