Madagascar Rail

A small brown dove with a disproportionately long, broad tail. Both sexes have a dark brown back and wings and an orange-brown head and underparts. Female has several large black dots on the chest that the male lacks. Like most cuckoo-doves, elusive and often difficult to see well in the gloom of the undergrowth of the broadleaf evergreen forests this species prefers. Gives a long series of bouncy hoots.

Sharply patterned saltator found in Andean foothills from Colombia to Ecuador, mostly below 1,500 m. Mostly black face with bold white eyebrow, small white patch on side of neck, and white throat. Underparts pale gray, wings black, back dull olive. Sexes alike. Usually travels in pairs or small groups through the middle to upper levels of forests and edges, not as common in second growth or gardens. Sometimes follows mixed-species flocks.

Tiny, rare, skulking rail-like bird that is unlikely to be seen unless you’re expressly looking for it at a handful of known sites. Male has rich rufous and olive-green color, while female is a subdued dark brown. Found in a few wetlands at middle and high elevations in eastern Madagascar, usually adjacent to rainforest. Call is an odd and earthy series of “tduk” calls, sometimes given singly and sometimes in triplets. Longer-billed than the much more common Madagascar Flufftail, and both sexes of Slender-billed Flufftail have duller coloration.