The story Scattered among the seventeenth century written accounts and illustrations that relate to the celebrated Dodo are descriptions and pictures of a flightless bird of a rather different kind. These pictures show a creature that in overall shape and appearance looks something like a kiwi. A long, down-curved beak, rather hair-like plumage and stout […]
Category: Gruiformes
Samoan Moorhen (Gallinula pacifica)
The story There seem to be eleven specimens of this species in the world’s museums, the first collected during 1869 and the last perhaps a mere five years later. Since then the species has never more been located. Little is known of it other than that it inhabited the Samoan island of Savaii. It was […]
Demoiselle Crane (Grus virgo)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Gruidae | [latin] Grus virgo | [UK] Demoiselle Crane | [FR] Grue demoiselle | [DE] Jungfernkranich | [ES] Grulla Damisela | [NL] Jufferkraan Subspecies Monotypic species Physical charateristics Distinctly smaller and more delicately built than Crane, with rather fine and short bill and long drape of feathers over tail (not forming […]
Coot (Fulica atra)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Fulica atra | [UK] Coot | [FR] Foulque macroule | [DE] Blasshuhn | [ES] Focha Comun | [NL] Meerkoet Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Physical charateristics Round-headed, rotund waterbird, with all-black plumage relieved only by wholly white bill and frontal shield. […]
Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Coturnicops noveboracensis | [UK] Yellow Rail | [FR] Rale jaune | [DE] Gelbralle | [ES] Polluela Amarillenta | [NL] Gele Ral Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Coturnicops noveboracensis NA e,c Coturnicops noveboracensis goldmani c Mexico Coturnicops noveboracensis noveboracensis Canada, n USA […]
King Rail (Rallus elegans)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Rallus elegans | [UK] King Rail | [FR] Rascon real | [DE] Konigs-Wasserlaufer | [ES] Rascon Elegante | [NL] Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Rallus elegans NA, MA e, c Rallus elegans elegans e Canada, ne USA Rallus elegans ramsdeni Cuba […]
Little Crake (Porzana parva)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Porzana parva | [UK] Little Crake | [FR] Marouette poussin | [DE] Kleines Sumpfhuhn | [ES] Polluela Bastarda | [NL] Klein Waterhoen Subspecies Monotypic species Physical charateristics Marked sexual dimorphism in plumage. Male has blue-grey face and underparts, with narrow white bars on rear flanks and black and […]
Purple Swamp-hen (Porphyrio porphyrio)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Porphyrio porphyrio | [UK] Purple Swamp-hen | [FR] Taleve sultane | [DE] Purpurhuhn | [ES] Calamon comun | [NL] Purperkoet Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Physical charateristics Very large ponderous rail, much larger than all other congeners except flightless Takahe in […]
Crested Coot (Fulica cristata)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Fulica cristata | [UK] Crested Coot | [FR] Foulque a crete | [DE] Kammblasshuhn | [ES] Focha cornuda | [NL] Knobbelmeerkoet Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Physical charateristics Only slightly bulkier than Coot but with wings and often neck c. 10% […]
American Coot (Fulica americana)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Fulica americana | [UK] American Coot | [FR] Foulque d’Amerique | [DE] Amerikanisches Blasshuhn | [ES] | [NL] Amerikaanse Meerkoet Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Fulica americana NA, MA widespread, also Hawaiian Islands and n SA Fulica americana americana se Alaska […]