Ascension Crake vs African Rail
Mundia elpenor compared with Rallus caerulescens
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ascension Crake | African Rail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Mundia elpenor | Rallus caerulescens |
| Order | Gruiformes | Gruiformes |
| Family | Rallidae | Rallidae |
| Conservation Status | Extinct | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 23.8 cm (9.4 in) |
| Weight | — | 160.25 g (5.65 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Conservation Status
Extinct
Ascension Crake
Least Concern
African Rail
About These Birds
Ascension Crake
Ascension Crake (Mundia elpenor) is an extinct flightless rail formerly endemic to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. Known from early 17th-century descriptions by Portuguese sailors; no physical specimens survive. Dark plumage; reduced wings. Extirpated rapidly after human arrival and introduction of cats and rats, likely by the mid-1600s.
African Rail
African Rail (Rallus caerulescens), 28 cm. Brown above with dark streaks; blue-grey underparts; barred white flanks; red bill and legs. Found in freshwater reedbeds and swamp margins across sub-Saharan Africa. Omnivore. Least Concern; common in wetland habitat.