Small to medium-sized , plump, short-tailed wetland and moist grassland birds. The black crake has exceptionally long toes (convergent with jacanas) enabling it to walk out on floating vegetation.
Most subspecies notoriously furtive skulking in thick cover and typically only seen when accidentally flushed underfoot. Presence, though, often betrayed by farcarrying calls. A predator avoidance strategy is to run through vegetation with the neck outstretched in a crouched position, when pressed they will fly short distances with the legs dangling.
They are omnivious, probing the ground or gleaning from vegetation, taking mostly invertebrates and seeds. They generally roost in the ground within a grass-tuft
They are monogamous. Nest is usually well-concealed in thick vegetation, clutch of 3 - 6 buff or whitish eggs, speckled and blotched with reds and browns.

Amaurornis = black bird

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