Calayan Rail
Encyclopedia
The Calayan Rail is a flightless bird
of the rail, moorhen, and coot family
(Rallidae) that inhabits Calayan Island in the Philippines
. Though well-known to natives of the island as the "piding", it was first observed by ornithologist Carmela Española in May 2004 and the discovery officially announced on August 16, 2004. The formal description as a species new to science
appeared in the journal Forktail
(Allen et al. 2004).
The Calayan Rail is one of the 20 known extant flightless rails. It is small and dark brown, with a distinctive orange-red bill
and legs, and utters loud, harsh calls. Its habitat seems to be restricted to forests on coralline limestone areas on Calayan and extends to a total of less than 100 km². Biologists estimate that there may be 200 pairs on the island.
The Calayan Rail's genus, Gallirallus
, includes many species of Southwest Pacific
islands, of which the most familiar in the English-speaking world is the Weka
of New Zealand
. Its species name was derived from the name of the island.
Due to its recent discovery, little further information on this species is available at this time.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
of the rail, moorhen, and coot family
Rallidae
The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small to medium-sized birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and the family also includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules...
(Rallidae) that inhabits Calayan Island in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Though well-known to natives of the island as the "piding", it was first observed by ornithologist Carmela Española in May 2004 and the discovery officially announced on August 16, 2004. The formal description as a species new to science
Bird species new to science
This article describes bird species new to science since 1900. Prior to the 20th century, and indeed into its early decades, the pace of discovery of new species was fast; during this period, with numerous collecting expeditions into species-rich areas not previously visited by western...
appeared in the journal Forktail
Forktail (journal)
Forktail is the annual peer-reviewed journal of the Oriental Bird Club. It contains material about birds of the Oriental region. Each issue is A4 in size, with an emerald green cover. Important papers published in Forktail include descriptions of two new bird species, the Bukidnon Woodcock in 2001...
(Allen et al. 2004).
The Calayan Rail is one of the 20 known extant flightless rails. It is small and dark brown, with a distinctive orange-red bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
and legs, and utters loud, harsh calls. Its habitat seems to be restricted to forests on coralline limestone areas on Calayan and extends to a total of less than 100 km². Biologists estimate that there may be 200 pairs on the island.
The Calayan Rail's genus, Gallirallus
Gallirallus
Gallirallus is a genus that contains about a dozen living species of rails that live in the Australasian-Pacific region. Many of these, including the most well-known one - the bold and inquisitive weka of New Zealand - are flightless or nearly so; others, such as the Buff-banded Rail, can go for...
, includes many species of Southwest Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
islands, of which the most familiar in the English-speaking world is the Weka
Weka
The Weka or woodhen is a flightless bird species of the rail family. It is endemic to New Zealand, where four subspecies are recognized. Weka are sturdy brown birds, about the size of a chicken. As omnivores, they feed mainly on invertebrates and fruit...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Its species name was derived from the name of the island.
Due to its recent discovery, little further information on this species is available at this time.