Austral Rail
Rallus antarcticus
Scarce, very local, and rarely seen rail of Patagonia. Found in fresh marshes and lake edges with tall reeds and rushes. Sometimes comes out to feed at edges of reeds early and late in the day, but mainly detected by voice. No similar species in range: note the striped back, barred flanks, and red bill. Plumbeous Rail is larger with plain plumage and a greenish bill.
识别特征
The austral rail is about 20 cm (7.9 in) long. Adults have dull brown upperparts with buff-edged black centers to the back feathers. Their face and throat are gray, their breast olive brown, and their flanks barred with black and white. Juveniles are similar with the addition of sooty tips on the breast feathers and a white throat.
分类信息
Some authors have considered the austral rail as conspecific with the Virginia rail (R. limicola) but their treatment has not been widely accepted. The species is monotypic.
- 学名
- Rallus antarcticus
- 命名信息
- King, PP, 1828
- 目
- Gruiformes
- 科
- Rallidae
- 属
- Rallus
分布与栖息地
The austral rail is patchily distributed in southern Chile's Magallanes Region and in southern Argentina between the departments of Río Negro and Santa Cruz. It formerly occurred as far north as Santiago, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. It has also been recorded as a vagrant on the Falkland Islands. It is found mostly near the coast where it inhabits wet fields and meadows, rushy lake shores, and reedbeds.
- 迁徙
- unknown
行为
Some of the southernmost populations appear to move north during the austral autumn.<p>Little is known about the austral rail's foraging behavior and diet. Both are assumed to be similar to that of the Ecuadorian rail (R. aequatorialis), which has an eclectic diet.<p>The austral rail's breeding biology is almost unknown. It appears to breed during October and November in Chile and November in Argentina. What is thought to be its nest was on the ground under a bramble; it was a depression in the ground lined with grass and rushes and held eight eggs.<p>The austral rail's main vocalization is "a series of high-pitched notes 'pee', 'peeree', 'peek' etc." which is often given in duet. It also makes "low booming sounds or grunts" and "a rather drawn-out single squeal."
保护状况
Population trend: declining.
- 种群趋势
- declining
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Lake Lufira Masked-Weaver
Ploceus ruweti
A red-eyed masked-weaver with a plain olive-yellow back and pink-brown legs. The breeding male has a black face mask extending to the hind-crown and almost enveloping the head, and a strong chestnut breast and flanks (mid-belly is yellowish). Female and juvenile are dull green above with wingbars, and yellowish below. Pairs and colonies are very localized residents of riverside vegetation, preferring trees to reedbeds for breeding, at Lake Tshangalele and Kiubo Falls in the southeastern DRC. The ranges of most similar masked-weavers do not overlap, but breeding male Tanganyika Masked-Weaver has a less extensive black mask; Katanga and Southern Masked-Weavers are much yellower.
Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush
Catharus frantzii
Small, plain-breasted thrush of highland forests, especially humid pine-oak. Feeds mainly on the ground, but also in fruiting bushes and trees. Sings from low to middle level perches, usually well hidden. More skulking than very similar Russet Nightingale-Thrush, but can be seen early and late in the day, hopping along the sides of quiet roads and paths. Slightly darker overall than Russet, with wholly pale orange underside of bill and plainer gray breast. Song distinctive: repeated fluty phrases, richer than Russet's song. Also compare with similar Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush.
Brown-backed Whistler
Pachycephala modesta
A small to medium-sized bird of montane forest middle story and subalpine scrub. Off-white underparts, brown back, gray head, white throat and a brown wash on the sides of the chest. Very similar to Island Whistler but does not co-occur. Mountain Mouse-Warbler is similarly colored but smaller and restricted to the understory or ground. Song, a forceful series of upslurred “whip!” and downslurred “chew!” notes.
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