Plain-flanked Rail
Rallus wetmorei
Large, plain rail with two color morphs, either dark chocolate brown or paler medium brown. Most with a few white feathers on head and back, especially dark morph. More often in pairs than alone, walking in the darkest areas of mangroves. Occurs in coastal salt lagoons, preferably in black mangrove and occasionally in red mangrove. Easy to find by voice, although sounds virtually identical to Mangrove Rail. In its habitat, the only all-brown rail with no barring on underparts. Range restricted and endangered, endemic to a small section of coast in northern Venezuela.
识别特征
The plain-flanked rail is about 33 cm (13 in) long. It has a brown bill. The sexes are alike. Adults have dull gray-brown upperparts with darker centers to the feathers. They have a white loral streak on their gray-brown face and a whitish throat. Their underparts are brown with no barring.
分类信息
The plain-flanked rail has been suggested to be conspecific with the mangrove rail (R. longirostris) but this treatment has not been accepted by major taxonomic systems because the two do not interbreed where their ranges overlap. The plain-flanked rail is monotypic.
- 学名
- Rallus wetmorei
- 命名信息
- Zimmer, JT & Phelps, WH, 1944
- 目
- Gruiformes
- 科
- Rallidae
- 属
- Rallus
分布与栖息地
The plain-flanked rail is known from only a few locations on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela between eastern Falcón and western Aragua states. It primarily inhabits coastal mangroves and has also been found in emergent vegetation of brackish and saltwater lagoons and marshes.
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
The plain-flanked rail is apparently sedentary.<p>Nothing is known about the plain-flanked rail's foraging behavior or diet. Both are assumed to be similar to those of the mangrove rail, which inhabits similar landscapes. That species has a very diverse diet that includes animal prey such as crustaceans (especially crabs and crayfish), molluscs, leeches, aquatic and terrestrial insects, fish, and amphibians. It also feeds on plant matter such as seeds, berries, and tubers, especially in winter.<p>The plain-flanked rail's breeding season is not known in detail but includes both April and May. A few nests have been discovered; they were platforms of twigs and leaves placed on mangrove roots or in mangrove trees. Clutch sizes of four to seven eggs have been noted. Both members of a pair incubate the eggs. The incubation period and time to fledging are not known.<p>The plain-flanked rail's "advertising call" is "a series of loud, rapid 'kek-kek-kek...kek-kek-kek' notes" that are given in duet and preceded by "soft growling 'grrrrr' calls". Courting males make "a series of evenly spaced harsh 'kek' notes". The species also makes a grunting call.
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- declining
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Southern White-fringed Antwren
Formicivora grisea
An attractive, fairly long-tailed antwren found from eastern Venezuela and Guyana to southeastern Brazil. Males are grayish-brown above and black below with a white eyebrow and white sides. Also note bold white spots on wings and tail. Females are bright tawny below, with bold white wing spots and an indistinct white eyebrow. Look for pairs foraging in the lower levels of dense shrubby woodland, often remaining fairly hidden and difficult to see clearly. Typically occurs in the lowlands up to around 1,000 m. Listen for series of rather musical clucking notes.
Plain-pouched Hornbill
Rhyticeros subruficollis
Medium-sized hornbill; resembles a smaller version of Wreathed Hornbill. Black with a white tail. Male has a white head and neck and a yellow throat pouch, while females have a blue pouch. Separated from Wreathed by lack of grooves on bill, small size, and lack of a black patch on the pouch (hence “plain-pouched”). Inhabits lowland forests; frequently detected flying powerfully overhead giving short, high-pitched calls. Often encountered in flocks.
Black-crowned White-eye
Zosterops atrifrons
A small green songbird with a bold white eye-ring, a black forehead, and whitish underparts except for a yellow throat and undertail. Juveniles duller, with less black on forehead. Found in groups, often within mixed-species flocks, in forests, edges, and cultivated areas in lowlands and foothills. Separated from Lemon-bellied White-eye by whitish belly, and from Warbling and Sulawesi White-eyes by black forehead on Black-crowned White-eye. Song variable, comprising short, high-pitched warbles. Also gives chattering and twittering notes as well as “tzew” and repetitive “titititititit” trill calls.
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