Bogotá rail

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bogotá rail
Rallus semiplumbeus.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Rallus
Species:
R. semiplumbeus
Binomial name
Rallus semiplumbeus
Sclater, 1856
Rallus semiplumbeus map.svg

The Bogotá rail (Rallus semiplumbeus) is a species of bird in the family Rallidae, endemic to Colombia. The bird is a typical medium-sized rail with a plump body that is laterally compressed (“skinny as a rail”), a short tail and an elongated bill. It is found in medium to high altitude marshes in the Eastern Andes.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, freshwater lakes, and freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Taxonomy and systematics[]

The species was first described in 1856 by the American ornithologist Philip Sclater, based on a specimen sent to him by the French collectors Jules and Édouard Verreaux.[2]

The generic name Rallus is thought to derive from the name for these birds in French (Rale) or German (ralle). The specific name semiplumbeus comes from the Latin plumbum (lead), suggesting that the bird is somewhat the colour of lead.[3]

There are two known subspecies:

  • Rallus semiplumbeus semiplumbeus (Sclater, 1856), found in eastern Colombia.
  • R. s. peruvianus (Taczanowski, 1886), known from a single specimen collected in Peru and now considered to be extinct.[4][5]
RallusSemiplumbeusKeulemans.jpg

Description[]

A typical member of the Genus Rallus, with a long and slightly decurved bill. a plump body and a short tail. 25-30cm in length. The face, breast, and belly are plumbeous, while the crown and nape are sepia brown. The back, tertials, secondaries, and the upper side of the tail are dull brown, with black streaks on the back. The primaries are black with chestnut fringing, and a rufous patch is usually evident on the wing coverts. The rear parts of the flanks are black with fine white vertical barring, and the undertail coverts are white. There is a small patch of white on the throat just below the bill.

The bill is dull red, shading to dusky black on the culmen and tip. The eyes are red with a black pupil, and the legs are coral red.[6][7]

References[]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Rallus semiplumbeus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22692482A93355621. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692482A93355621.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Sclater, Philip Lutley (1856). "On some additional Species of Birds received in Collections from Bogota". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Part XXIV: 31. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  3. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm dictionary of scientific bird names : from aalge to zusii. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 330, 353. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  4. ^ Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (Eds.). "IOC WORLD BIRD LIST (11.2)". IOC World Bird List. Retrieved 13 November 2021.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Rallus semiplumbeus (Bogota Rail) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  6. ^ Restall, Robin L.; Rodner, Clemencia; Lentino, Miguel (2007). Birds of northern South America : an identification guide. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 114-115. ISBN 978-0-300-10862-0.
  7. ^ Taylor, B.; Sharpe, C.J. "Bogota Rail (Rallus semiplumbeus)". Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). - subscription required. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 6 December 2021.

External links[]


Stub icon

This Gruiformes-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

  • v
  • t
Retrieved from ""