Tuamotu moorhen

Tuamotu moorhen
	Tuamotu Grouse ( Porzana atra )
Systematics
Sub-stem :	Vertebrates (vertebrata)
Class :	Birds (aves)
Order :	Crane birds (Gruiformes)
Family :	Rallen (Rallidae)
Genre :	Porzana
Type :	Tuamotu moorhen
Scientific name
	Porzana atra
	North , 1908

The Tuamotus moorhen ( Porzana atra , Syn . : Nesophylax ater , Porzana ater , Porzana murrayi ), also known as Henderson's rail , is a small flightless rail that is endemic to Henderson Island . The closest relative of the rail is the pygmy moorhen ( Porzana pusilla ).

Appearance

It is about a third larger than the South Sea Moorhen ( Porzana tabuensis ), but its rounded wings are the same length as those of the smaller rail, while its tail is even shorter. The number of hand feathers is from eleven to nine, the number of tail feathers is reduced to eight. The beak is medium in size. The legs are long and strong. The iris is cardinal red , the eyelid vermilion, the beak is black with a greenish color at the base, which continues as a short stripe on the top of the beak. The legs are orange-red, slightly brownish in young animals.

nutrition

The Tuamotu grouse searches the foliage on the forest floor for food such as the eggs of reptiles, insects and other arthropods and snails. The breeding season extends from July to mid-February, during which time two broods are often raised. The clutch consists of 2–3 eggs. The breeding pair often receives support from conspecifics in defending the young animals against crabs and rats. At least 43 percent of the adult animals survive the year and per adult at least 0.95 young animals survive per year up to the age of one month.

habitat

The species is found in both dense and open forests on the island. It is found in forests dominated by Pisonia , in mixed forests of Pisonia and Xylosma , in Timonius thickets, in Pandanus - Thespesia - Argusia forests on bays and in coconut groves on beaches.

The Tuamotu moorhen ( Porzana atra ) is only common (endemic) on Henderson Island and had a population of over 3,200 in 1987, compared with around 6,200 in 1992. Because different methods were used in the counts, it is possible that the differences are due to counting errors. However, it can be assumed that the population is currently large enough to be stable and that the number of animals is not decreasing.

Although the Pacific rat ( Rattus exulans ) eats eggs and chicks, there is no evidence that the rats could pose a serious threat to the bird, as they have coexisted on the island since around the 8th century. In order to protect the Tuamotu moorhen ( Porzana atra ) it is intended to exterminate the rats.

swell

↑ Alphabetical assignment of crane birds
↑ Beth Slikas, Storrs L. Olson, Robert C. Fleischer (2002): Rapid, independent evolution of flightlessness in four species of Pacific Island rails (Rallidae): an analysis based on mitochondrial sequence data . Journal of Avian Biology 33 (1), 5-14. doi : 10.1034 / j.1600-048X.2002.330103.x .
^ ^A ^b Robert Cushman Murphy: Birds Collected During The Whitney South Sea Expedition. II . American Museum Novitates, Number 124, published by The American Museum of Natural History, July 22, 1924, New York City
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Zapornia atra in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2008. Accessed on December 9 of 2008.

[1] Alphabetical assignment of crane birds

[2] Beth Slikas, Storrs L. Olson, Robert C. Fleischer (2002): Rapid, independent evolution of flightlessness in four species of Pacific Island rails (Rallidae): an analysis based on mitochondrial sequence data . Journal of Avian Biology 33 (1), 5-14. doi : 10.1034 / j.1600-048X.2002.330103.x .

[Murphy-3] A ^b Robert Cushman Murphy: Birds Collected During The Whitney South Sea Expedition. II . American Museum Novitates, Number 124, published by The American Museum of Natural History, July 22, 1924, New York City

[IUCN-4] Zapornia atra in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2008. Accessed on December 9 of 2008.