Common name: Little Crake
Scientific name: Zapornia parva
Family: Rallidae

Size:
Body length: 18–20 cm
Wingspan: 34–39 cm
Weight: 40–70 g

Identification:
A small, secretive rail with a compact body and short tail. The male is distinctive with bluish-grey underparts, a brown back, and a red bill. The female is browner overall with a paler underside and less grey on the face. Both sexes have greenish legs. Often difficult to see due to its skulking nature.

Habitat:
Dense wetlands, reed beds, marshes, and vegetated edges of lakes and slow-moving water bodies.

Status in the UAE:
Rare passage migrant and winter visitor. Recorded in suitable reed-rich wetlands.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on insects, small invertebrates, and aquatic organisms.

Behavior:
Extremely secretive and rarely seen in the open. Moves quietly through dense vegetation. Often detected by its calls rather than sight. Feeds by picking prey from the ground or shallow water. Usually solitary.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)