Amaurornis phoenicurus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
The white-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) is a waterbird of the rail and crake family, Rallidae, that is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia. They are dark slaty birds with a clean white face, breast and belly. They are somewhat bolder than most other rails and are often seen stepping slowly with their tail cocked upright in open marshes or even drains near busy roads. They are largely crepuscular in activity and during the breeding season, just after the first rains, make loud and repetitive croaking calls.
Adult white-breasted waterhens have mainly dark grey upperparts and flanks, and a white face, neck and breast. The lower belly and undertail are cinnamon or white coloured. The body is flattened laterally to allow easier passage through the reeds or undergrowth. They have long toes, a short tail and a yellow bill and legs. Sexes are similar but females measure slightly smaller. Immature birds are much duller versions of the adults. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails.
Several subspecies are named for the populations that are widely distributed. The nominate subspecies is described from Sri Lanka but is often widened to include... Wikipedia →
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warangal Zoo | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Ueno Zoo | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 3 | Ueno Zoological Gardens (West Garden) | 🇯🇵 Japan |
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a White-breasted Waterhen sighting in Colombo [Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte] on a given day, based on 4,022 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 17th most-seen of the 204 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a White-breasted Waterhen in Colombo [Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte] on a given day, against about 50% in June to April, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-breasted Waterhen sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
12th of 111
Of the 111 cities where we can rate White-breasted Waterhen sightings, Colombo [Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte] ranks 12th at about 50%. The best odds are in Tamluk (India, about 60%), Madurai (India, about 60%) and Savar (Bangladesh, about 60%).
Same family: Rallidae
The closest relatives of the White-breasted Waterhen that you can see in Colombo [Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte] (family Rallidae, Rails, Gallinules, and Coots) are Western Swamphen (about 30%) and Common Moorhen (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-breasted Waterhen is recorded against all the birds logged in Colombo [Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte] (4,022 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
