Rufous-sided Crake vs Marquesan Swamphen

Laterallus melanophaius compared with Porphyrio paepae

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Rufous-sided Crake Marquesan Swamphen
Scientific Name Laterallus melanophaius Porphyrio paepae
Order Gruiformes Gruiformes
Family Rallidae Rallidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Extinct
Length
Wingspan 16.6 cm (6.5 in)
Weight 54.1 g (1.91 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 2-5 --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Rufous-sided Crake only

Marquesan Swamphen only

None

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Rufous-sided Crake

Extinct

Marquesan Swamphen

About These Birds

Rufous-sided Crake

Rufous-sided Crake (Laterallus melanophaius) is a small 15–17 cm crake of South American grasslands and marshes, from Colombia south to Argentina. Olive-brown above; grey breast; bold chestnut-rufous flanks. Inhabits wet grasslands, rice paddies, and flooded savannas. Secretive; walks through dense grass. Common across much of its range.

Marquesan Swamphen

Marquesan Swamphen (Porphyrio paepae) is an extinct flightless swamphen known only from subfossil bones from the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Lost following Polynesian settlement and later European contact. Part of the broader pattern of Pacific island rail extinctions linked to human arrival and introduced rats.

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family