Rails are a large, cosmopolitan family of small- to medium-sized terrestrial and/or semi-amphibious birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity in its forms, and includes such ubiquitous species as the crakes, coots, and gallinule; other rail species are extremely rare or endangered. Many are associated with wetland habitats, some being semi-aquatic like waterfowl, but many more are wading birds or shorebirds. The ideal rail habitats are marsh areas, including rice paddies, and flooded fields or open forest. They are especially fond of dense vegetation for nesting. The rail family is found in every terrestrial habitat with the exception of dry desert, polar or freezing regions, and alpine areas. Members of Rallidae occur on every continent except Antarctica. Numerous unique island species are known.
The Cracticinae, bellmagpies and allies, gathers together 12 species of mostly crow-like birds native to Australasia and nearby areas.
Moorhens—sometimes called marsh hens—are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family (Rallidae). Most species are placed in the genus Gallinula, Latin for "little hen". They are close relatives of coots. They are often referred to as (black) gallinules. Recently, one of the species of Gallinula was found to have enough differences to form a new genus Paragallinula with the only species being the lesser moorhen.
Riversleigh World Heritage Area is Australia's most famous fossil location, recognised for the series of well preserved fossils deposited from the Late Oligocene to more recent geological periods. The fossiliferous limestone system is located near the Gregory River in the north-west of Queensland, an environment that was once a very wet rainforest that became more arid as the Gondwanan land masses separated and the Australian continent moved north. The approximately 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi) area has fossil remains of ancient mammals, birds, and reptiles of the Oligocene and Miocene ages, many of which were discovered and are only known from the Riversleigh area; the species that have occurred there are known as the Riversleigh fauna.
Barawertornis tedfordi was a dromornithid (mihirung), a large flightless fowl hailing from Late Oligocene to Early Miocene. The only species in the genus Barawertornis, its fossil remains are found in strata of the Riversleigh deposits located at two sites in Northwestern Queensland, Australia.
Collocalia is a genus of swifts, containing some of the smaller species termed "swiftlets". Formerly a catch-all genus for these, a number of its former members are now normally placed in Aerodramus.
Hodgens' waterhen is an extinct rail species from New Zealand. Its name commemorates the Hodgen brothers who were owners of the Pyramid Valley swamp where the holotype was discovered. It reached a weight of 280 g and its wings were so reduced that it was unable to fly. It occupied a wide range of habitats, including open forest and grassland along riverbanks.
Emuarius is an extinct genus of casuariiform flightless bird from Australia that lived during the early Miocene and late Oligocene. It is one of two known genera of emu. There are two known species in the genus, Emuarius gidju and Emuarius guljaruba. The birds in this genus are known as emuwaries. This name comes from a combination of emu and cassowary. This is due to its cassowary-like skull and femur and emu-like lower leg and foot. Because of these similarities it is phylogenetically placed between cassowaries and emus.
Maximucinus muirheadae is the largest known thylacinid species that lived in Queensland, Australia from the late Oligocene to the middle Miocene. The species was a quadrupedal marsupial predator, that in appearance looked similar to a dog with a long snout. Its molar teeth were specialized for carnivory; the cups and crest were reduced or elongated to give the molars a cutting blade. It is estimated to have weighed about 18 kilograms.
Wabulacinus ridei lived during the early Miocene in Riversleigh. It is named after David Ride, who made the first revision of thylacinid fossils. The material was found in system C of the Camel Spurtum assembledge.
Ganguroo is a genus of fossil macropods found at Riversleigh in Australia, material dating from the Middle to Late Miocene Epoch. The type species of the genus is Ganguroo bilamina, published in 1997. Two recently described species, Ganguroo bites and Ganguroo robustiter, have also been placed in this genus.
Longmornis robustirostrata is an extinct genus and species of bird in the old world oriole family. It was described from Early Miocene material found at the Neville's Garden fossil site at Riversleigh in north-western Queensland, Australia. Its closest living relatives are the figbirds (Sphecotheres), which its beak most closely resembles. It was named in honour of Noel Wayne Longmore, an ornithologist of the Australian Museum, and for its broad, robustly built beak. It was a mid to large-sized passerine, comparable in size to the Australian black-faced cuckooshrike, and was presumed to be a frugivore like modern figbirds.
Primophaps schoddei is an extinct genus and species of bird in the pigeon family. It was described from Late Oligocene material found at Riversleigh in north-western Queensland, Australia. It was closely related to the Australian bronzewing pigeons, especially those in the genus Phaps. The genus name comes from the Latin primordium,, and the Greek phaps (“pigeon”). The specific epithet honours Australian taxonomist Richard Schodde for his work on the relationships of Australian birds.
Eoanseranas handae, also sometimes referred to as Hand's dawn magpie goose, is an extinct genus and species of bird. Allied to the family Anseranatidae, which are represented by modern magpie geese, it existed during the Late Oligocene or Early Miocene of northern Australia. It was described from fossil material found at a Carl Creek Limestone site at Riversleigh, in the Boodjamulla National Park of northwestern Queensland. It was slightly smaller than its perceived descendant, the extant magpie goose Anseranas semipalmata.
Corvitalusoides grandiculus is an extinct species of songbird, in a monotypic genus of uncertain familial affinities, from the Late Oligocene or Early Miocene of northern Australia. It was described from a distal tibiotarsal fragment found at Riversleigh, in the Boodjamulla National Park of north-western Queensland. The bone size indicates that the bird was among the largest of songbirds, within the size range of ravens and lyrebirds.
Ciconia louisebolesae is an extinct species of stork from the Early Miocene of Australia. It was described by Walter Boles from fossil material found in a cave deposit at the Bitesantennary Site of Riversleigh, in the Boodjamulla National Park of north-western Queensland. The specific epithet refers to Louise Boles, the describer's mother, to whom the description is dedicated.
Collocalia buday is an extinct species of large swiftlet from the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene of Australia. It was described in 2001 by Walter Boles from fossil material found at Riversleigh, in the Boodjamulla National Park of north-western Queensland.
Menura tyawanoides is an extinct species of lyrebird from the Early Miocene of Australia. It was described by Walter Boles from fossil material found in terrestrial limestone at the Upper Site of Riversleigh, in the Boodjamulla National Park of north-western Queensland. It was smaller than the two living species of lyrebirds. The specific epithet comes from tyawan and the Greek suffix –oides (“resembling”).
Orthonyx kaldowinyeri is an extinct species of logrunner from the Late Oligocene to the Miocene of Australia. It was described by Walter Boles from fossil material found at the Last Minute Site of Riversleigh, in the Boodjamulla National Park of north-western Queensland. It was a relatively small logrunner. The specific epithet kaldowinyeri is an Aboriginal term for “old”, referring to the Miocene age of the species which is earlier than that of other members of the genus.
Lekaneleo roskellyae is a fossil species of carnivorous marsupial that existed during the early Miocene in Australia. Once allied to the type species of the genus Priscileo, later placed as Wakaleo pitikantensis, "Priscileo" roskellyae was subsequently transferred to its own genus Lekaneleo.
