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Red-legged Crake takes a snake

on 17th August 2012

“While trying to capture some birds taking their evening bath at a waterhole, this Red-Legged Crake (Rallina fasciata) kept nonchalantly walking back and forth, as if hinting for me to leave before taking its turn at the waterhole…

“I continued to watch the Short-tailed Babblers (Malacocincla malaccensis), Red-eyed Bulbuls (Pycnonotus brunneus) and Olive-winged Bulbuls (P. plumosus) as they took their daily dip, then as they meticulously preened themselves. As I was preparing to leave, I heard a prolonged scrabbling in the dry vegetation, and peering through the leaves, I managed to get this semi-blocked clip of I believe the same crake repeatedly pecking at a small snake, then swallowing it head first:”

Lena Chow
Singapore
28th Juky 2012

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

2 Responses

  1. Too big in relation to the Crake to be the common blind snake (Typhlops brahminus). I believe that I saw a distinct differentiation between the head and the body diameter of the snake being eaten. Such a difference in diameter is not characteristic of Typhlops, most species of which are more or less the same diameter throughout most of their length.

    There are many small terrestial snakes in Singapore that would be small enough to be eaten by a brave Crake. Though I cannot identify that snake positively, a possible candidate is Lycodon aulicus, the Common House Snake.

    Caecilians are slimy, and are also more or less the same diameter throughout. I did not get the impression from the video that the prey was slimy.

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