Blue-faced Rail

Gymnocrex rosenbergii

A large, distinctive, poorly known rail from the islands of Peleng and Sulawesi. Rich, deep chestnut above and jet black below, and a diagnostic patch of sky-blue skin behind the eye. Terrestrial, inhabiting dense understory within the forest of both lowlands and foothills, and sometimes also reported in dense scrub at edges of rice paddies. Blue facial patch renders it unmistakable in its limited range. Rarely heard, but vocalizations include a snoring song and soft clucking sounds.

Identification

The blue-faced rail is a 30 cm, medium-sized, secretive, forest rail. It has a conspicuous patch of bare cobalt-blue skin around the eye that gives the bird its distinctive name. The blue-faced rail makes a snoring sound apparently similar to that of the snoring rail, and it also gives off a quiet clucking sound in alarm.

Taxonomy

Genus: Gymnocrex; Family: Rallidae; Order: Gruiformes.

Scientific name
Gymnocrex rosenbergii
Authority
(Schlegel, 1866)
Order
Gruiformes
Family
Rallidae
Genus
Gymnocrex

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: declining.

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

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