White-Breasted Waterhen

The white-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) is a waterbird of the rail and crake family, Rallidae, that is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia. They are dark slaty birds with a clean white face, breast and belly. They are somewhat bolder than most other rails and are often seen stepping slowly with their tail cocked upright in open marshes or even drains near busy roads. They are largely crepuscular in activity and during the breeding season, just after the first rains, make loud and repetitive croaking calls

Scientific Name : Amaurornis Phoenicurus

Family : Rallidae

Order : Gruiformes

Class : Aves

Type : Rails, Crakes, Gallinules And Coots

Conservation Status : Least concern (LC)

Size : 28 - 33 cm

Compare Size : House crow -

Wingspan : 49 cm

Weight : 200 - 330 g

Migratory : Resident

Sex Alike : Yes

Nesting Season : June - October

Other Names :

Hindi : डवक, सफ़ेद-छाती जलमुर्गी

Marathi : पांढऱ्या छातीची पाणकोंबडी, पाणकोंबडी, लाजरी पाणकोंबडी, कुवा कोंबडी

Habitat:
Marshes

Breeding:
Eggs 6 -7, Cream Or Pinkish white. Streaked & blotched with reddish brown.

Feeding:
Mainly eat insects, small fish, aquatic invertebrates and grains or seeds


Identification Features

Male & Female
Upperparts dark-grey
Flanks dark-grey
Head mostly white except crown
Crown dark-grey
Neck dark-grey execpt throat
Throat white
Breast white
Belly upper half white; lower half cinnamon
Vent cinnamon
Legs yellow
toes yellow; long
Bill yellow
Tail short
Wing dark-grey
Upper mandible orange-red marking at base
Note :
body is flattened laterally to allow easier passage through the reeds or undergrowth; females slightly smaller than males
Juvenile
Note :
duller versions of the adults

Gallery

SIGHTINGS

Date Location
2018-12-16 16 Dec 2018 Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra
2019-01-12 12 Jan 2019 Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra
2019-01-31 31 Jan 2019 Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan

Similar Birds

(Rails, Crakes, Gallinules And Coots)