Gallirallus philippensis

(Linnaeus, 1766)

Vernacular names
English : Buff-banded rail
French : Râle tiklin

Classification
Class : Aves
Order : Gruiformes
Family : Rallidae
Notes : 21 subspecies known. Formerly placed in genus Hypotaenidia.

Identification
Adults can reach 33 cm in length for a weight of 303 g. Dark red bill, brown cap, light brown band behind eyes, rest of head and breast grey. Wings and back dark brown. Breast is narrowly striped black and white with a large brown band.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in Philippines, central and Eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Pacific Islands east to Samoa and eastern Australia. Lives in wetlands, wet grasslands, forest edges, plantations, up to 3600 m.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species has a huge range and remains globally common. Some insular populations (Cocos Keeling, New Zealand, Palau) are decreasing. Subspecies from Macquarie Island is extinct
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation
San Antonio Zoo (USA), TMII Bird Park (Indonesia), Vogelpark Avifauna (Netherlands)

 

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