Colombian Crake

The Colombian crake is 18 to 20 cm (7.1 to 7.9 in) long. The sexes are alike. The nominate subspecies has a brown crown, nape, and upperparts including the tail. Its throat is white and its face, throat, and breast are gray. Its flanks, belly, and vent are cinnamon. M. c. ripleyi is similar but significantly darker.

The nominate subspecies of Colombian crake is found from northern Colombia south into northwestern Ecuador. M. c. ripleyi is found from central Panama into northwestern Colombia's Chocó Department. There are few records of the species and the exact boundaries of the two subspecies' ranges are not known. The species inhabits wet to moist landscapes such as marshes, swamps, savanna, and the brushy edges of forest; not all of these have water bodies. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 2,100 m (6,900 ft).

Nothing is known about the Colombian crake's feeding habits or diet. They are assumed to be similar to those of its closest relative, the paint-billed crake. That species forages in soil, leaf litter, and standing water, and at dawn and dusk has been noted feeding in open areas next to dense vegetation. It is known to eat invertebrates including Diplopoda and Coleoptera and also seeds.