The Talaud bush-hen (''Amaurornis magnirostris'') is a
vulnerable waterbird in the
rail and crake family.
It is a
recently described species from Karakelang Island in the
Talaud Islands
The Talaud Islands (Indonesian language, Indonesian: ''Kepulauan Talaud'') also spelled Talaur or Talaut, are a group of islands situated about 225 miles (360 km) northeast of Sulawesi, in Indonesia, north-east of the Sangihe Islands. The Ta ...
,
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
. It occurs in forest, scrub, and overgrown plantations.
Description
Talaud bush-hen is a 30.5 cm long, large, very dark and robust
bush-hen. Its large head and its upperparts are dark brown, and its underparts and flanks are very dark bluish grey. The large, thick bill is pale green, and the legs are yellow, becoming more olive at the rear.
The only confirmed call of this shy species is a series of loud, low-pitched croaking barks, but it is likely that it also makes the shrieks typical of bush-hens.
Status
The population is estimated at 2,350-9,560 individuals on Karakelang. It may also occur on neighbouring islands, but there is little forest on those, less than 20 km
2 compared to 350 km
2 on Karakelang.
There are two protected areas totalling 21,800 hectares, but there has been no management and these areas are threatened by agricultural encroachment,
illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission, or from a pro ...
, and fire. Trapping for food and introduced rats may also pose a threat.
References
Birdlife International*Taylor and van Perlo, ''Rails'' SBN 90-74345-20-4
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1274067
Amaurornis
Endemic birds of Sulawesi
Birds described in 1998
Taxa named by Frank R. Lambert