Baillon's Crake

Zapornia pusilla

Introduction

A small and secretive rail, whose main range is eastern Europe but which also occurs in scattered locations across southern Europe.

Occasional incursions of Baillon's Crakes into north-west Europe have been linked to drought conditions in southern Spain, pushing birds from the breeding sites there to move further north. In such years we sometimes see the presence of calling males at suitable sites here in Britain, though the bird's secretive nature and choice of breeding habitat make it difficult to prove breeding.

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

42.5g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

121 records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

No current data

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

Open Close

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

Open Close

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Suffolk, pre 1819

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

Open Close

Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

Open Close

This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution. There have been a number of recent breeding records in large extensive wetlands, but this habit, and species' nocturnal nature makes detection very difficult.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

Open Close

This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

Open Close

This species has been too rarely reported to BirdTrack during 2011–22 to properly assess seasonality.

Movement

Information about Baillon's Crake movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

Open Close

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

Open Close

EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Baillon's Crake, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

Open Close

Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Baillon's Crake

Classification and Codes

Open Close

Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Scientific name: Zapornia pusilla
Authority: Pallas, 1776

BTO 2-letter code: VC
BTO 5-letter code: BAICR
Euring code number: 4110

Alternate species names

Open Close

Catalan: rasclet europeu
Czech: chrástal nejmenší
Danish: Dværgrørvagtel
Dutch: Kleinst Waterhoen
Estonian: värbhuik
Finnish: kääpiöhuitti
French: Marouette de Baillon

German: Zwergsumpfhuhn
Hungarian: törpevízicsibe
Icelandic: Dvergrella
Irish: Gearr Baillon
Italian: Schiribilla grigiata
Latvian: ceru ormanitis
Lithuanian: mažoji švygžda
Norwegian: Dvergrikse

Polish: karliczka (zwyczajna)
Portuguese: franga-d'água-pequena
Slovak: chriašt najmenší
Slovenian: pritlikava tukalica
Spanish: Polluela chica
Swedish: dvärgsumphöna
Welsh: Rhegen Baillon

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.