Amaurornis phoenicurus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days >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 |
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a White-breasted Waterhen sighting in Keoladeo National Park on a given day, based on 2,066 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 5th most-seen of the 278 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 90% of wildlife watchers report a White-breasted Waterhen in Keoladeo National Park on a given day, against about 60% in June, the lowest month. That is one of Keoladeo National Park's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain against 240 mm in July.
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.
Yes
Of the 42 parks where we can rate White-breasted Waterhen sightings, Keoladeo National Park has the highest daily chance: about 80%. Next come Ranthambore National Park (India, about 60%) and Sundarbans National Park (India, about 40%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-breasted Waterhen is recorded against all the birds logged in Keoladeo National Park (2,066 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
