Sarothrura

Sarothrura
	Pearl rail ( Sarothrura pulchra ) ; (Illustration by J. G: Keulemans , 1894)
Systematics
Sub-stem :	Vertebrates (vertebrata)
Class :	Birds (aves)
Order :	Crane birds (Gruiformes)
Family :	Sarothruridae
Genre :	Sarothrura
Scientific name
	Sarothrura
	Heine , 1890

Sarothrura is a group of nine species of small claw-like birds, seven of which are found in sub-Saharan Africa and two in Madagascar .

features

Sarothrura species reach a body length of 14 to 17 cm with a weight of 25 to 58 grams. Her body is short and her tail is short. With the exception of the mirror rail, the birds show a marked sexual dimorphism in terms of coloration; H. Males and females look different. The males have predominantly black or dark brown plumage with a pattern of white stripes or dots that is characteristic of each species and a chestnut-colored head. The females are predominantly brownish (with the exception of the mirror rail). The iris is brown, the beak brown or gray, the feet also brown or gray. The tail of the Boehmralle, the Redbrustalle and the Ugallaralle is black, in the other species it is partly or completely chestnut-colored. The birds' eggs are white. The chicks of all kinds have black down plumage .

Habitat and way of life

All Sarothrura species live very hidden, the pearl rail and the teardrop rail in thickets and forests, the other species in swamps or on grasslands. As far as is known, Sarothrura species feed on seeds, insects and small snails. Little research has been done on whether the birds migrate .

species

Striped rail ( Sarothrura affinis ), Africa

Mirror rail ( Sarothrura ayresi ), Ethiopia

Boehmralle ( Sarothrura boehmi ), Africa

Teardrop rail ( Sarothrura elegans ), Africa

Hovaralle ( Sarothrura insularis ), Madagascar

Ugallaralle ( Sarothrura lugens ), Africa

Pearl rail ( Sarothrura pulchra ), Africa

Red and breast trap ( Sarothrura rufa ), Africa

Lemurs Ralle ( Sarothrura watersi ), Madagascar

Systematics

The genus was the German 1890 Ornithologen Ferdinand Heine described and in 1957 by Rene Verheyen the subfamily Sarothrurinae within the family of Coot assigned (Rallidae). After a phylogenetic study from 2008 found Sarothrura as a sister group to the rush rushes (Heliornithidae), the Sarothrurinae were raised to the rank of an independent family (Sarothruridae).

literature

Keith, Stuart; Benson, Constantine Walter; Irwin, Michael P. Stuart. (1970) "The genus Sarothrura (Aves, Rallidae)." Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History . Volume 143, Article 1, New York, 1970, PDF

Individual evidence

Jump up ↑ Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, David Christie: Handbook of the Birds of the World , Volume 3, Hoatzin To Auks , Lynx Edicions 2001, ISBN 84-87334-20-2
↑ Verheyen, Rene 1957. Contribution au demembrement de l'ordo artificiel des Gruiformes (Peters 1934). Bull. Inst. Roy. Soc. nat. Belgique, volume. 33, No. 21, 44 pp. WARREN, RACHEL LM (1957, pp. 24, 25)
↑ Hackett et al .: A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History . Science 27 June 2008: Vol. 320. No. 5884, pages 1763-1768 doi : 10.1126 / science.1157704

Web links

Commons : Sarothrura - Collection of images, videos and audio files

[1] Jump up ↑ Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, David Christie: Handbook of the Birds of the World , Volume 3, Hoatzin To Auks , Lynx Edicions 2001, ISBN 84-87334-20-2

[2] Verheyen, Rene 1957. Contribution au demembrement de l'ordo artificiel des Gruiformes (Peters 1934). Bull. Inst. Roy. Soc. nat. Belgique, volume. 33, No. 21, 44 pp. WARREN, RACHEL LM (1957, pp. 24, 25)

[3] Hackett et al .: A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History . Science 27 June 2008: Vol. 320. No. 5884, pages 1763-1768 doi : 10.1126 / science.1157704