Watercock

Latin Name: 
Gallicrex cinerea
Category: 
Rails, Crakes
Size: 
36cm
Description: 

A huge, chicken-like crake. In breeding plumage, the male is mainly blackish in colour with brownish feather edgings to upperparts; red legs with orange bill with upstanding red shield. Otherwise resembles immature and smaller female which is variably barred brown, darker above with greenish legs and yellowish bill.

Habitat: 
Inhabits extensive reedbeds, marshes and wet paddy. Also tidal estuaries when migrating. Crepuscular and secretive but sometimes seen in flight.
Distribution: 
Generally a scarce local migrant throughout lowlands, breeding mainly in the Northeast and Bangladesh and in Sri Lanka. Also occurs in E and SE Asia.
Call: 
Call Description: 
A booming call when breeding.
IUCN: 
Least Concern
National Status: 
very local resident
At IITK: 
very local resident