Galapagos Rail
Laterallus spilonota
Small, terrestrial bird that is endemic to Galápagos. Adult is dark gray with a brown back, red eyes, and fine white speckles on the rear half of the body. Juvenile is mostly gray and lacks white speckles. Now found only at higher elevations in the interior of larger islands, but formerly also occurred in coastal mangroves. Furtive and hard to see as it skulks in dense vegetation, such as tall grass and tangled forest understory. Varied vocalizations include clucks, churrs, squeaks, and extended rattles.
Identification
The Galapagos crake is about 15 cm (5.9 in) long and weighs about 35 to 45 g (1.2 to 1.6 oz). The sexes are alike. Adults have a dark gray crown and medium gray head and underparts. Their flanks and thighs have sparse narrow whitish bars. Their interscapulars, scapulars, and upper back are chestnut brown and the lower back, rump, uppertail coverts, and tail are dark brown. Their upper wing coverts also are brown, and may have fine white spots, and their flight feathers are light brown. Their iris is a distinctive red, and the bill, tarsi, and toes are dark brown. Juveniles have a mostly dark brown body with a lighter brown upper back; black lower back, rump, and tail; and slightly grayish face and throat. Their wings are an almost-black brown.
Taxonomy
The Galapagos crake was originally described as Zapornia spilonota and has been moved among at least five other scientific names before its current binomial was adopted. At least one author classified it as a subspecies of black rail, and others consider the black rail and Galapagos crake to form a superspecies.<p>The Galapagos crake is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Laterallus spilonota
- Authority
- (Gould, 1841)
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Laterallus
Range and habitat
The Galapagos crake is found on the Galápagos islands of Pinta, Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, and Floreana, though the populations on the last two islands might be extinct. It inhabits humid highlands on those islands in areas with dense fern, shrub, and forb cover.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The Galapagos crake is a year-round resident. It can fly and swim, though it does not fly well nor for long distances. Its flight has been described as awkward and labored. It tends to run rather than fly to escape danger.<p>The Galapagos crake forages during the day, moving along the ground in dense growth tossing leaves and investigating the leaf litter. Its primary prey is insects of many types and its diet includes other arthropods, snails, and berries and seeds.<p>The Galapagos crake's breeding season has not been fully defined but appears to span from September to April. It is aggressively territorial; it stamps its feet and raises its tail as a threat and may run towards other rails that encroach on its territory. Pairs are monogamous during the breeding season but it is not known if the bond lasts year-round. The species makes its nest on the ground; it is a partially covered cup made of herbaceous plant matter with a side entrance. The clutch size is three to six eggs. The incubation period is 23 to 25 days and both parents incubate. Chicks take about 80 to 85 days from hatch to reach adulthood.<p>The Galapagos crake gives at least five vocalizations, "cheeping, a chichichichiroo call, a chirr call, a chatter call, and a rattle call". They variously are used for members of a family to maintain contact, to advertise territory, and to intimidate predators.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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