Baillon's Crake
Baillon's Crake ( Porzana pusilla )
The Baillon's Crake ( Porzana pusilla ) is the smallest occurring in Europe Rallenart. We distinguish between six to seven subspecies. In Central Europe, the Baillon's Crake is a very rare and only irregularly sweltering summer bird.
Appearance
In appearance, the Baillon's Crake is similar to the little crake. However, it has flesh colored legs, a striking black banding on the flanks and no red spot on the beak root.
The bird is 17-19 cm long, its wingspan is, depending on the subspecies 23 - 35 cm. The male can be 23 - 45 g, females 17 -55 g.
Occurrence
The highly dissected area of distribution includes Japan, India, southern Asia, southern Africa, Madagascar, Australia and New Zealand. In Western and Central Europe, there is only irregularly before in a few places. They are migratory and spend the winter in the Mediterranean. In part they fly over the Sahara Desert, to overwinter in southern Africa.
In Germany, there are currently only breeding records in Hesse and Mecklenburg. In other states, only few proofs. In Western Europe, there are individual breeding records in Belgium, France, Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland.
Breeding and rearing
The Baillon's Crake breeds in the dense vegetation of Verlandungsgesellschaftungen and sedge meadows. The nest is built over water. From the 6-9 down in May or June eggs hatch boy that can fly at about 5 weeks. Both parents participate in the breeding business.
Food
In the early morning and early evening until twilight they hunt in part to standing water plants for insects and their larvae.
Stock
The total European population is estimated at only 760-3200 breeding pairs. Stocks with more than 50 breeding pairs exist only in Bulgaria, Croatia and the European part of Russia. The Central European population is estimated at only ten to 60 breeding pairs. The Central European distribution area is Hungary with a maximum of forty breeding pairs at the beginning of the 21st century.