Brown-cheeked Rail
Rallus indicus
A furtive, streaked rail of wetlands and fields that is often detected within its reedy hideouts by its piglike squealing and grunting. The brown cheek, while narrow, gives the face a distinctive “eyebrowed” appearance, as it divides the bluish gray face in half. The neck, back, and wings are warm brown with black streaking. Breast and belly are brownish gray with black and white streaking on the flanks. Bright orange lower bill can be surprisingly visible, even from a distance.
识别特征
The species differs from the slightly smaller nominate form through its paler upperparts, brown-tinged underparts and a brown stripe through the eye. Compared to R. a. korejewi, it is darker above, has a browner breast, white on the throat and a more obvious brown eyestripe. As indicated above, it has different vocalisations to the other forms, and is now usually given full species status, although its behaviour, nest and eggs are identical to those of other subspecies of water rail.<p>In addition to its distinctive plumage, it has very different vocalisations from the water rail, and it was considered a separate species in early works, including the first edition (1898) of Fauna of British India, but later demoted to a subspecies by E. C. Stuart Baker in the second edition (1929). It was restored as a full species, the eastern water rail, R. indicus, by Pamela Rasmussen in her Birds of South Asia (2005). Rasmussen, an expert on Asian birds, also renamed the other forms as the western water rail. Her treatment has gained acceptance, and is followed in Birds of Malaysia and Singapore (2010). A 2010 study of molecular phylogeny further supported the possibility of specific status for R. a. indicus, which is estimated to have diverged from the western forms around 534,000 years ago. The paper also suggested that the differences between the three other races were clinal, and that they should all be merged into R. a. aquaticus.<p>The call is quite different from that of the water rail. The courtship call, again given throughout the year, is a sharp piping kyu, longer and clearer than that of the European race. The song is a series of metallic slurred shrink, shrink notes, about two per second, and repeated after a short pause. The eastern race does not respond to recorded announcement calls of nominate R. a. aquaticus.<p>The average weight of wind-dried nests of R. indicus in Japan was 95 g (3.4 oz).
分类信息
- 学名
- Rallus indicus
- 命名信息
- Blyth, 1849
- 目
- Gruiformes
- 科
- Rallidae
- 属
- Rallus
分布与栖息地
The species is mainly migratory, wintering in southern Japan, eastern China and northern Borneo. It is uncommon in northern parts of Bangladesh, Burma, Laos, and northern and central Thailand, and does not normally reach further south in mainland southeast Asia. Migrants have been recorded on Sri Lanka in the past, although on the Indian mainland they are found mainly in the northern regions, with a few records from as far south as Mumbai. On arrival in India, rails may be so exhausted that they can be caught by hand. The breeding birds on the Japanese island of Hokkaido mostly migrate well south including to Korea but a few remain during winter in the coastal marshes of Honshu.
- 繁殖区
- PAL : e Siberia to Japan
- 非繁殖区
- Nepal to se Asia and Borneo (rare)
- 迁徙
- Complete migrants
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- declining
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Javan Sunbird
Aethopyga mystacalis
Medium-sized sunbird of foothill forest and forest edge on Java; uncommon to rare in upper montane and lowland habitats. Forages actively in pairs, mixed flocks, or singly. Both sexes are very similar to Crimson Sunbird, but note Javan's bright white belly and sides. Female Javans can also be confused with White-flanked and the Leptocoma sunbirds, but have more white on the sides and belly than those species. Song is a very flat and insect-like series of dry “chit” notes; also gives a sparrow-like “chiweet.”
Hairy-backed Bulbul
Tricholestes criniger
Small gracile bulbul with brown upperparts, dirty-yellow underparts, and surprised-looking large dark eye accentuated by yellow eyering. Somewhat like a babbler in proportions and behavior; forages, often with mixed flocks, at lower and middle strata of forests. Inhabits mature and advanced secondary forests from lowlands up to around 1,000 meters. Scolds “chee-chuu” repetitively and gives soft ascending whistles.
White-breasted Parrotbill
Paradoxornis ruficeps
Chunky parrotbill with a large head and a relatively short tail. Very similar in appearance to Rufous-headed and Pale-billed Parrotbills, but note brighter coloration and whiter underparts. Forages in small flocks, often with other species, in foothill forest bamboo clusters; also in reedbeds and tall grass. Song is a descending series of 4-5 whistles: “wee-dee-dee-dee-dee.” Calls include a loud, sputtering machine-gun chatter.
开始您的观鸟之旅
在户外识别鸟类，并在下一次观察时随手查阅鸟类图鉴。