The story Laysan is a tiny coral island around 1280 km to the north-east of Hawaii, and one of its few inhabitants was a small species of rail. Because it is so remote, the island was infrequently visited but, nevertheless, there are several good accounts of the bird in life. These consistently tell of how […]
Category: Rallidae
Mauritian Red Rail (Aphanapteryx bonasia)
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 […]
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 […]
Wake Rail (Gallirallus wakensis)
The story The Wake Rail has acquired the grim celebrity of having been eaten out of existence by hungry Japanese soldiers during World War II. Unable to fly, these rails could scuttle about their island home quickly, but despite their agility any efforts to escape would have been no match for the concerted efforts of […]
White Gallinule (Porphyrio albus)
The story When British ships belonging to what was known as the First Fleet were dispatched under Governor Phillip to Australia during the late 1780’s, their task was to found a penal colony to which British felons could be transported. Much of interest surrounds this rather unpleasant endeavour and one of the by-products of the […]
Baillons Crake (Porzana pusilla)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Porzana pusilla | [UK] Baillons Crake | [FR] Marouette de Baillon | [DE] Zwerg-Sumpfhuhn | [ES] Polluela Chica | [NL] Kleinst Waterhoen Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Porzana pusilla EU, AF, OR, AU widespread Porzana pusilla affinis New Zealand, Chatham Is. […]
Striped Crake (aenigmatolimnas marginalis)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] aenigmatolimnas marginalis | [UK] Striped Crake | [FR] Marouette rayee | [DE] Graukehl-Sumpfhuhn | [ES] Polluela Culirroja | [NL] Afrikaans Porseleinhoen Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Cyanolimnas marginalis Aenigmatolimnas marginalis AF wc, se Physical charateristics Male dark brown with white streaks […]
Black Crake (Amaurornis flavirostra)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Amaurornis flavirostra | [UK] Black Crake | [FR] Rale a bec jaune | [DE] | [ES] Polluela Negra Africana | [NL] Zwart Porseleinhoen Subspecies Monotypic species Physical charateristics An all black marsh bird that has rounded wings, long, slender and red legs and toes, and a short thick […]
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Rallus limicola | [UK] Virginia Rail | [FR] Rale de Virginie | [DE] Virginiaralle | [ES] Rascon de Virginia | [NL] Virginia-ral Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Rallus limicola NA widespread Mexico Rallus limicola friedmanni sc and se Mexico Rallus limicola […]
Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis)
[order] GRUIFORMES | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Laterallus jamaicensis | [UK] Black Rail | [FR] Rale noir | [DE] Schieferralle | [ES] Burrito cuyano (Arg), Polluela Negruzca(Esp), Polluela Negra (Cr), Gallineta Negra (HN) | [NL] Zwarte Dwergral Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Breeding Range Breeding Range 2 Non Breeding Range Laterallus jamaicensis NA, LA USA, Greater […]