Paint-billed Crake

The paint-billed crake (''Neocrex erythrops'') is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae.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 It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay, and the Galápagos Islands.Garrigues, Richard., P. Camacho-Varela, M. Montoya, P. O'Donnell, J. Zook. OFFICIAL LIST OF BIRDS OF COSTA RICA 2020-2021 https://listaoficialavesdecostarica.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/aocr-lista-oficial-aves-de-cr-2020-2021-act.julio_.21-1.xlsx retrieved October 12, 2022Chesser, 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/taxaRemsen, 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. Species Lists of Birds for South American Countries and Territories. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCCountryLists.htm retrieved July 24, 2022

Taxonomy and systematics

The paint-billed crake was initially placed in genus ''Porzana'' and later moved to genus ''Neocrex'' to join the Colombian crake (''N. colombiana''). The two have been sometimes been considered conspecific. In 2015 the South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (AOS) and the Clements taxonomy moved both species to genus ''Mustelirallus''. However, 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) retain them in ''Neocrex''.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

This article uses the IOC/NACC/HBW genus. The IOC, HBW, and Clements agree that the paint-billed crake has two subspecies, the nominate ''N. e. erythrops'' and ''N. e. olivascens''.

Description

The paint-billed crake is long and weighs about .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 One specimen had a wing of , a tarsus of , and weighed . The species gets its common name from its red and yellow bill; it has bright red legs. 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 barred black and white. ''N. e. olivascens'' is similar but darker and with less white on its throat.

Distribution and habitat

The nominate subspecies of paint-billed crake is found in coastal Ecuador, coastal Peru, and the Galápagos Islands. Subspecies ''N. e. olivascens'' is much more widespread, but is found in several widely separated areas. In Central America it is found in Costa Rica and Panama. On the South American mainland it is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It has been recorded as a vagrant on Trinidad and in the U.S. states of Texas and Virginia.

The species inhabits a wide variety of landscapes, from the very wet like reedbeds and marshes, to wet and dry pastures and rice fields, fairly dry bushy areas, and (in the Galápagos) humid woodlands. In South America it seems partial to swamp and savanna habitats with much grass and thickets. In elevation it ranges from near sea level to almost

Behavior

Movement

There is no evidence that the paint-billed crake makes regular movements. However, it has been found many times far outside its normal range, so it is at least prone to vagrancy and might have migratory populations. It does not respond to playback.

Feeding

Little is known about the paint-billed crake's feeding habits or diet. It is known to eat invertebrates including Diplopoda and Coleoptera and also seeds. It forages in soil, leaf litter, and standing water, and at dawn and dusk has been noted feeding in open areas next to dense vegetation.

Breeding

The paint-billed crake's breeding season varies widely across its range. It builds a bowl nest of green grass on or near the ground and at least partially hidden in grass. It lays a clutch of three to seven eggs; they are creamy buff and have large reddish blotches near the blunt end. The incubation period is at least 23 to 25 days.

Vocalization

The paint-billed crake's song is "a long, gradually accelerating series of up to 36 staccato somewhat yelping 'kjek' notes". Its calls include "frog-like, guttural, buzzy, single notes", "a mellow soft purring", and "a sharp 'twack'".

Status

The IUCN has assessed the paint-billed crake as being of Least Concern. It has a very large range but its population size and trend are unknown. No immediate threats have been identified. The species is "very furtive and difficult to observe" so its abundance and even its exact range limits are hard to determine. Its "status and distribution need investigation, as do movements and breeding".

References

External links

*Associação Mãe-da-lu
Paint-billed crake (Mustelirallus erythrops)
- Photos and notes

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1274289

paint-billed crake
Birds of Colombia
Birds of Venezuela
Birds of the Guianas
Birds of Peru
Birds of Bolivia
Birds of Paraguay
Birds of Brazil
Birds of the Caatinga
Birds of the Atlantic Forest
Birds of the Caribbean
Birds of Trinidad and Tobago
Galápagos Islands coastal fauna
paint-billed crake
paint-billed crake
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot