Colombian crake

The Colombian crake (Mustelirallus colombianus) is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.[3][4]

Colombian crake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Mustelirallus
Species:
M. colombianus
Binomial name
Mustelirallus colombianus
Bangs, 1898
Synonyms[2]
  • Neocrex colombiana
  • Neocrex colombianus Bangs, 1898 [orth. error]

Taxonomy and systematics

The Colombian crake's taxonomy has not been settled. The North American Classification Committee of AOS (NACC), the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) place it in genus Neocrex. However, in 2015 the South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (AOS) and the Clements taxonomy moved it and the paint-billed crake (M. erythrops) to genus Mustelirallus.[5][3][4][2][6]

This article uses the IOC/NACC/HBW genus. The IOC, HBW, and Clements agree that the paint-billed crake has two subspecies, the nominate M. c. colombianus and M. c. ripleyi.[3][4][6]

Description

The Colombian crake is 18 to 20 cm (7.1 to 7.9 in) long. The sexes are alike. The nominate subspecies has a brown crown, nape, and upperparts including the tail. Its throat is white and its face, throat, and breast are gray. Its flanks, belly, and vent are cinnamon. M. c. ripleyi is similar but significantly darker.[7]

Distribution and habitat

The nominate subspecies of Colombian crake is found from northern Colombia south into northwestern Ecuador. M. c. ripleyi is found from central Panama into northwestern Colombia's Chocó Department. There are few records of the species and the exact boundaries of the two subspecies' ranges are not known. The species inhabits wet to moist landscapes such as marshes, swamps, savanna, and the brushy edges of forest; not all of these have water bodies. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 2,100 m (6,900 ft).[7]

Behavior

Movement

The Colombian crake is considered to be sedentary.[7]

Feeding

Nothing is known about the Colombian crake's feeding habits or diet. They are assumed to be similar to those of its closest relative, the paint-billed crake. That species forages in soil, leaf litter, and standing water, and at dawn and dusk has been noted feeding in open areas next to dense vegetation. It is known to eat invertebrates including Diplopoda and Coleoptera and also seeds.[7][8]

Breeding

The Colombian crake's breeding season is not fully defined but appears to include at least December to February. Nothing else is known about its breeding biology.[7]

Vocalization

As of late 2022 xeno-canto had only one recording of a Colombian crake vocalization and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library had none. That recording is of an immature bird being held by a researcher and is judged to be a distress call.[7]

Status

The IUCN originally assessed the Colombian crake in 1988 as Near Threatened, then in 1994 as Unknown, and since 2000 as Data Deficient. "It is very poorly known and its status, distribution and natural history demand urgent attention".[1] "Nevertheless, there appears to be ample suitable habitat for [the] nominate subspecies in W Colombia and Ecuador."[7]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2016). "Colombian Crake Neocrex colombiana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22692740A93368001. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692740A93368001.en. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  2. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 July 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved July 24, 2022
  3. Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (August 2022). "Finfoots, flufftails, rails, trumpeters, cranes, Limpkin". IOC World Bird List. v 12.2. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  4. HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6_Dec21.zip retrieved August 7, 2022
  5. Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Hernández-Baños, R. A. Jiménez, A. W. Kratter, N. A. Mason, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2022. Check-list of North American Birds (online). American Ornithological Society. https://checklist.aou.org/taxa
  6. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ Retrieved August 25, 2021
  7. Taylor, B. and C. J. Sharpe (2020). Colombian Crake (Mustelirallus colombianus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.colcra2.01 retrieved October 13, 2022
  8. Taylor, B., A. Bonan, P. F. D. Boesman, and C. J. Sharpe (2020). Paint-billed Crake (Mustelirallus erythrops), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.pabcra.01 retrieved October 12, 2022
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