Brown crake
Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary, Maharashtra
This is an absolutely sought-after bird and is rarely found in India. However, it exhibits very confusing behavior, which I believe depends on the habitat and locality where it lives. Why is it confusing? Because in Bhigwan, the Brown Crake is commonly found and is habituated to the presence of people in the area. It even responds to calls and comes out into the open, allowing you to easily take its picture. It has elegant, matte-finished dark grey plumage with a slightly greenish beak. Unlike other crakes, it is much larger in size. Brown Crakes prefer to live among reeds near water bodies, as they like to feed on small insects from the ground around lake beds or other water bodies.
Byatarayana Doddi Kere, Karnataka
On the other hand, the Brown Crake is found in Byatarayana Doddi Kere, and it is extremely shy. It is nearly impossible to photograph because it is not human-friendly and is highly sensitive. I visited the area more than ten times, and every time I saw this bird there, it exhibited the same behavior. When no one is around, it comes out of the reeds and moves near the lakebed to forage. However, the moment someone appears, even from a distance, it becomes alert, runs into the bushes, and does not come out again. Even if you call it, it will never respond. So, every time I visit this place for this bird, I tell myself not to keep it on my wishlist. One day, however, I was lucky enough to capture this picture. Although it is out of focus, I am still happy to have it as a record.
