The dot-winged crake is a vulnerable species of bird in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay.
Region
Southern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in lowland marshes, wet grasslands, and reedbeds across Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil, and central Chile. Prefers dense emergent vegetation along the margins of lagoons, slow-moving streams, and floodplains. It can also use brackish coastal marshes with rushes and sedges. The species is highly secretive and tends to remain under cover, venturing into more open wet meadows mainly at dawn and dusk.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 800 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The dot-winged crake is a furtive marsh rail that is more often heard than seen, slipping through dense reeds and sedges. Its name comes from the conspicuous pale spots on the wings that flash when it takes short, fluttering flights. Habitat loss from wetland drainage, overgrazing, and reed-bed burning is a primary threat. Surveys often rely on playback of its distinctive calls to detect its presence.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; reluctant flier
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, especially during the breeding season. Nests are placed low in dense marsh vegetation, often a woven cup or dome of grasses with a side entrance. Both parents likely share incubation and chick rearing, as in many rails.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Gives sharp, clicking notes and thin, squeaky whistles, often delivered from cover. Vocalizations may accelerate into short trills or repeated tick-tick series, most frequent at dawn and dusk.
Plumage
Compact rail with smooth, dark brown to gray-brown upperparts and darker flight feathers marked with distinct pale spots on the wing coverts. Underparts are dusky gray to brown with finely barred flanks. Feathers are dense and sleek, aiding movement through wet vegetation.
Diet
Feeds on small aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates such as insects, spiders, and snails, supplemented with seeds and tender plant matter. Probes soft mud and leaf litter and gleans from stems and water surfaces. Opportunistic and will exploit seasonally abundant prey after floods.
Preferred Environment
Forages along the edges of dense reeds, rushes, and sedges, and in wet meadows adjacent to shallow water. Often stays within cover, briefly venturing into more open patches near protective vegetation.
