Auckland Rail
| Auckland Rail | ||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Lewinia muelleri | ||||||||||
| ( Rothschild , 1893) |
The Auckland rail ( Lewinia muelleri ) is a New Zealand bird species from the family of rail birds (Rallidae) endemic to two of the Auckland Islands .
features
The Auckland rail is a small, almost flightless bird. The species is smaller than the claw claw. The back is nut brown, the chest gray. The sides are striped black and white, the head reddish brown. The beak is red. There are conflicting reports about the bird's ability to fly. While earlier sources assume it can fly, recent research has found little evidence for it. If the birds can fly at all, they very rarely do so.
Occurrence
The species is endemic to the Auckland Islands 460 km south of New Zealand. Today occurrences are known only from the islands of Adams Island and Disappointment Island . It does not occur on the main New Zealand islands, which lie between these islands and the habitat of their closest relative, the Australian crawfish .
The Auckland rail is very shy and was thought to be extinct for a long time until it was rediscovered. The total population of around 2000 animals on the two islands is considered stable. It is believed that it also occurred on the main Auckland Islands, but were wiped out there by feral cats and pigs. There is therefore hope to be able to reintroduce them there after the introduced animals have been exterminated.
The species is classified as "vulnerable D2" by the IUCN and BirdLife International because of the possibility that rats or other predators could reach the remaining two islands of the habitat.
Way of life
The Auckland rail has a number of different calls, the most common of which is a crex call repeated ten or more times at one-second intervals.
Little is known of the breeding biology of the railroad. The few nests found consisted of two eggs and may be laid in early November. The eggs are cream in color with red, brown, and gray spots.
Individual evidence
- GP Elliott, JK Walker, R. Buckingham: The Auckland Islands Rail In: Notornis 38 (3), 1991, pp. 199-209.
Web links
Web link
- Lewinia muelleri inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2014.