New Britain Rail
Gallirallus insignis
A round-bodied and short-tailed rail with long pink legs. Mostly chestnut above and black below with white barring. Almost flightless. Prefers damp thick forest and mountain valleys, but also occurs in swampy grass and agricultural areas. Similar to Pale-vented Bush-Hen and Buff-banded Rail, but differs from both in its black throat with white barring, and from Buff-banded by its lack of a prominent white eyebrow. Vocally poorly known, but reported to give wheezing nasal barks and screams.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Gallirallus insignis
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1880)
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Gallirallus
Range and habitat
It is endemic to the island of New Britain. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Spotless Starling
Sturnus unicolor
Dark purple starling without any spots in summer. Same size and shape as European Starling. In winter can show some restricted pale spotting below but still very uniform. Found in short grassy areas, farms, parks, and gardens. The song is similar to European Starling, including lots of mimicry. Nests in cavities.
Javan Fulvetta
Alcippe pyrrhoptera
Unremarkable-looking warm brown songbird. Endemic to Java’s montane and submontane broadleaf forests, where it is a common member of mixed flocks. Note warm rusty-toned wings and tail, long-tailed and round-headed profile, and slender dark line above the eye (sometimes inconspicuous). Song is a sad-sounding series of whistles. Calls include a fast rattling call, as well as a high-pitched, tinkling “ji’jink.”
Chocolate Boobook
Ninox randi
A medium-sized owl of lowland and foothill forest and edge. Dark brown on the upperparts and head, with white underparts thickly streaked with reddish-brown. Face grayish and eyes yellow. Occurs together with several other boobook species, but Chocolate is much larger, with plain brown wings and more demarcated streaking on the chest. Voice is also different: a series of identical, medium-pitched “boop!” notes.
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