Animalia Life

Crex crex
SUBFAMILY
Rallinae
TAXONOMY
Rallus crex Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden. Monotypic.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Rвle des genкts; German: Wachtelkцnig; Spanish: Guiуn de Codornices.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
10.6–12 in (27–30 cm); 4.6–7.4 oz (129–210 g). Streaked upperparts, tawny upperwing-coverts, barred flanks and blue-gray face, foreneck, and breast. Juvenile duller, with no gray.
DISTRIBUTION
Breeds in Europe and central Asia, east to western China and central Siberia; winters in Africa, mainly from Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) and southern Tanzania south to eastern South Africa.
HABITAT
Breeds mainly in grass meadows; winters in grassland and savanna.
BEHAVIOR
Most active at dawn and dusk. Breeding male’s rasping “krekkrek” call given all night.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Many invertebrates; also seeds and grass blades. Normally forages within cover.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Serial polygyny regular, males mating with two or more females. Breeds April and August. Nest a cup of vegetation on the ground in dense vegetation. Eggs six to 14 (usually eight to 12); incubation 16–20 days, by female only; chicks independent at 10–20 days, fledged at 34–38 days. One to two broods per season; breeding success low on agricultural land.
CONSERVATION STATUS
In 1999 a total of 1.7–3 million singing males estimated. Western European populations declined rapidly during the twentieth century due to changing grassland management. Considered Vulnerable because of the potential for similar widespread land-use changes in its eastern European strongholds.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Some migrating birds are trapped for food.

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