Plumbeous Rail
Pardirallus sanguinolentus
Chickenlike rail seen at the edge of various wetlands, even in close proximity to human habitations. Uniformly dark gray below with a brown back, and red legs and eyes. Similar to Blackish Rail, but has a red spot at the base of the lower mandible, a blue patch at the base of the upper mandible, and a dark (not white) throat. The voice is a squeaky repetition of “truie, truie,” which can be heard all day.
Identification
The blackish rail is 30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 in) long and weighs 170 to 230 g (6.0 to 8.1 oz). The sexes are alike. They have red eyes and legs. They have a green bill and in all but subspecies P. s. luridus the maxilla has a sky blue base and the mandible a bright red one. The nominate subspecies P. s. sanguinolentus has mottled brown upperparts and plain gray face and underparts. The other subspecies differ somewhat in size and plumage. P. s. luridus is the largest and P. s. zelebori the smallest. P. s. simonsi is more olive brown above and paler gray below than the nominate. P. s. tschudii also has paler underparts. P. s. landbecki is more more olive brown upperparts than the nominate and no mottling. P. s. luridus has no mottling on its upperparts and has paler gray underparts than the nominate.
Taxonomy
The plumbeous rail has previously been placed in the large genus Rallus, and also in genus Orygonax with the blackish rail (Pardirallus nigricans). Some authors propose that the blackish and plumbeous rails are conspecific, and they do form a superspecies. The plumbeous rail has these six subspecies:
- Scientific name
- Pardirallus sanguinolentus
- Authority
- (Swainson, 1838)
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Pardirallus
Range and habitat
The six subspecies of plumbeous rail are distributed thus. The species is found further south than any other South American rail.<p>The plumbeous rail inhabits a variety of landscapes characterized by water and vegetative cover. Examples include reed marshes (even small ones), ponds with floating vegetation, irrigated croplands, wet ditches through pasture, and oases in arid areas. In elevation it occurs mostly in the lowlands but ranges in some limited areas as high as 2,500 m (8,200 ft) and in a few locations up to about 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Straneck's Tyrannulet
Serpophaga griseicapilla
Small flycatcher with a gray head, an olive-brown back, a whitish throat, and a yellow belly. Note the white eyebrow and broken eye-ring. Occurs in woodland and scrub; migrates to the northeast during the austral winter. The song is a single note followed by a trill: “twie tirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.” The similar White-crested Tyrannulet has a different song and is also slightly larger, with a white crown patch that is often concealed.
Black-and-white Monjita
Heteroxolmis dominicana
Large, slim flycatcher with a fairly long tail. Males are mostly white with black wings and tail. Females have a grayish crown and back; note the white rump and white wingbar. Occurs in marshes and damp natural grasslands, occasionally in coastal dunes. Usually silent. The smaller White Monjita has less black in the wings and tail.
Pygmy Cuckooshrike
Celebesica abbotti
A distinctive small cuckooshrike with bright white underbody, a dusky gray upperside, and a prominent red eye. Males display a contrasting black face and chin, while females’ faces have the same gray color as the back. An arboreal bird, usually encountered singly or in pairs (or occasionally small parties) within mixed-species flocks in canopy of montane forest. Song starts with one or two piercing high “whit” notes followed by a short jumble of four notes. Also gives single high-pitched “whit” and “seep” calls.
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