Slaty-breasted rail

Slaty-breasted rail
Slaty-breasted rail in Malaysia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Lewinia
Species:
L. striata
Binomial name
Lewinia striata
(Linnaeus, 1766)
     approximate range
Synonyms
  • Gallirallus striatus Linnaeus, 1766
    *Rallus striatus Linnaeus, 1766

The slaty-breasted rail (Lewinia striata) is a rail species native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.[1]

Taxonomy

Despite traditionally being considered part of Gallirallus, recent genetic studies have consistently placed it in the genus Lewinia,[2][3] which is now formally recognized by the IUCN and IOC.[1]

Subspecies

L. s. albiventer

L. s. obscurior

L. s. jouyi

L. s. taiwana

L. s. gularis

L. s. striata

L. s. paraterma[4]

Habitat

The slaty-breasted rail is mostly found in wetlands, up to elevations of typically 1,000 m (3,300 ft), but also up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and 1,850 m (6,070 ft) in Sri Lanka.[4]

Description

A medium sized rail, it measures 25–30 cm (9.8–11.8 in) in length and weighs 100–142 g (3.5–5.0 oz). In coloration, the slaty-breasted rail has a chestnut crown and nape, a blue-grey breast, and a long, reddish bill.[4]

Behavior

Breeding season can vary by location. It lays 5–9 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 19–22 days. Chicks can leave the nest soon after hatching, they are fed and cared for by their parents.[4]

It feeds on worms, molluscs, crustaceans, and the seeds of marsh plants.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2016). "Lewinia striata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T22692463A93354724. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692463A93354724.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Garcia-R, J. C.; Gibb, G. C. & Trewick, S. A. (2014). "Deep global evolutionary radiation in birds: Diversification and trait evolution in the cosmopolitan bird family Rallidae". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 81: 96–108. Bibcode:2014MolPE..81...96G. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2014.09.008. PMID 25255711.
  3. ↑ Chen, P.; Huan, Z.; Zhu, C.; Han, Y.; Xu, Z.; Sun, G.; Zhang, Z.; Zhao, D.; Ge, G. & Ruan, L. (2020). "Complete Mitochondrial Genome and Phylogenetic Analysis of Gruiformes and Charadriiformes". Pakistan Journal of Zoology. 52 (2): 425–439. doi:10.17582/journal.pjz/20190603010623.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Taylor, Barry (2020). "Slaty-breasted Rail (Lewinia striata), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.slbrai1.01. ISSN 2771-3105.