Krrrok-kraaa. Coo-crr-COO. This is the sound of the Black Crake. Never heard of this secretive little bird before? Well, continue reading and find our more.
These birds live by fresh water marshes that have some vegetation for cover.
Like most parents they are fiercely protective over their chicks and will attack other birds, even if they are bigger than the crake.
Their red eyes and legs stand out from their black plumage and with long toes they move easily on the floating vegetation.
What is their main threat? Humans of course. Practice of culture in some African countries involves killing this secretive bird for food and for traditional medicine. Another threat they face is the pollution of their watery homes.
During the moulting of their flight feathers (Dec-Mar) they may be flightless for up to 3 weeks. Needless to say they stay well hidden during this time.
When you do the 2 hour Private Tour at Tenikwa you may just be lucky enough to see these secretive birds.