Little Crake

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Little Crake in the UK

The Little Crake is a very rare vagrant, in Category A of the British List. The first was obtained at Catsfield, East Sussex, in 1791. It is now detected only about once every two years. Adults turn up in spring, from March to May, and juveniles in autumn. Recent birds include one at RSPB Minsmere, Suffolk, in 2014, a one-day bird at RSPB Blacktoft Sands in 2019 and a juvenile in Buckinghamshire in November 2023. Lone birds also held territory in the Cambridgeshire fens in 2018, 2020 and 2023. Breeding has not been confirmed.

Where and when to see a Little Crake

Records lean to southern and eastern England, with Norfolk and Sussex well represented historically. Birds are found at reedbed and fen reserves, on muddy edges below reeds or walking over floating vegetation. Autumn juveniles sometimes feed in the open in front of hides for several days, which is how most twitchable birds have been seen. Spring birds are more often heard at night, and some have been confirmed from sound recordings alone. News goes out on the bird information services. Expect a crowded hide and a long wait.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Marshes (very rare).
Diet: Invertebrates.
Field note: Barred only on the rear flanks.

How to identify a Little Crake

Starling-sized, smaller and slimmer than a Spotted Crake, with a long rear end: the wingtips project well beyond the tertials and the tail is quite long. The bill is short and green with a red spot at the base. Males are plain blue-grey on the face and underparts and olive-brown above with a few pale streaks. Females are warm buff below with a whitish throat. Barring is confined to the rear flanks and undertail. Juveniles are pale buff-white below with more flank barring. Legs are green. It lacks a Spotted Crake's white speckling.

Call and song

Usually silent in Britain. The male's song, given at night, is a run of nasal "kwek" notes that speeds up and drops in pitch into a short trill. Females give a shorter, sharper phrase ending in a trill. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Spotted Crake: Spotted Crake is larger and plumper, covered in white spots, with a plain buff undertail and a yellowish bill.
• Baillon's Crake: Baillon's is smaller and dumpier with short wingtips, an all-green bill, bold barring along the whole flank and more white marks on a rustier back.
• Water Rail: Water Rail is much larger with a long red bill and heavily barred black-and-white flanks.

Related guide Rare birds in the UK.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Little Crake is a Legendary tier bird, worth +50 points when you log one. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Baillon's CrakeEpic · Wet marsh
• SoraLegendary · Wet marshes (very rare)
• Allen's GallinuleLegendary · Marshes (very rare)
• American Purple GallinuleLegendary · Marshes (very rare)
• Marbled DuckLegendary · Marshes (very rare)
• Baikal TealEpic · Marshes (very rare)

Little Crake: quick answers

Has a Little Crake ever been seen in the UK?

Yes, many times since the first in Sussex in 1791. The most recent bird widely seen was a juvenile at Linford Lakes, Buckinghamshire, in November 2023. Before that, twitchable birds were in 2019 and 2014.

Is the Little Crake rare in the UK?

Yes. It averages about one record every two years, and several of those have been heard-only or seen by a few people. Any claim needs a full description for the national rarities committee, since Baillon's Crake and young Spotted Crake are both pitfalls.

What habitat does a Little Crake live in?

Deep, well-flooded reed and reedmace beds with floating vegetation, more so than other crakes. It swims readily and climbs about on reed stems and lily pads. It breeds mainly in eastern Europe and winters in Africa, and new wetland creation in the Fens may be why birds have started singing there.

Kit that helps

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