Rails, Gallinules and Coots (Rallidae)

White-browed Crake (Porzana cinerea) - HBW 3, p. 190

French: Marouette grise German: Weißbrauen-Sumpfhuhn Spanish: Polluela Cejiblanca
Other common names: Ashy/Grey-bellied Crake

Taxonomy: Porphyrio cinereus Vieillot, 1819, Java.
On basis of bill structure and face pattern, which render it distinct from Porzana crakes, sometimes placed in genus Poliolimnas with Porzana flaviventer, which shows similar characters; this separation may well be valid. Until recently several races commonly recognized, notably brevipes, ocularis, micronesiae, leucophrys, meeki and tannensis; but differences between them are slight, not well defined, and subject to overlap. Monotypic.

Distribution: Malaysia and Greater Sundas through Philippines, Sulawesi, Moluccas and Lesser Sundas to New Guinea and N Australia, and E through Micronesia and Melanesia (S to Vanuatu and New Caledonia) to WC Polynesia (Fiji and Samoa); formerly also Volcano Is.