Spotless crake

Last updated

Spotless crake
Porzana tabuensis -Crop.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Zapornia
Species:
Z. tabuensis
Binomial name
Zapornia tabuensis
(Gmelin, JF, 1789)
Synonyms

Porzana tabuensis

The spotless crake (Zapornia tabuensis) is a species of bird in the rail family, Rallidae. It is widely distributed species occurring from the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand across the southern Pacific Ocean to the Marquesas Islands to the south east along the Tuamotus island chain to Pitcairn Oeno island,

Contents

Taxonomy

The spotless crake was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae . He placed it with the other crakes and rails in the genus Rallus and coined the binomial name Rallus tabuensis. [2] Gmelin's account is taken from that of the "Tabuan rail" that had been described in 1785 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his book A General Synopsis of Birds. [3] Latham's description was probably based on a plate painted by the German naturalist Georg Forster who had accompanied the British explorer James Cook on his second voyage to the Pacific Ocean. [4] The genus name is an anagram of the genus Porzana that was introduced by the French ornithologist Louis-Pierre Vieillot. The specific epithet tabuensis is from Tongatapu, Tahiti, the type locality. [5] The spotless crake was formerly placed in the genus Porzana but is assigned to the genus Zapornia that was introduced in 1816 by William Elford Leach. [6] [7] The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. [7]

Description

Pitt Town, Australia Spotless Crake 0A2A3246.jpg
Pitt Town, Australia

As an adult the spotless crake can reach a length of 17 – 20 cm; a wingspan of 26 – 29 cm; and can weigh between 40 – 50g. The head, and neck of the spotless crake is a bluish–grey slate colour. Some also have an occasional light grey or whitish patch on the chin, which can extend down the throat. The back, the outer wings, and inner wings have a dark reddish–brown which then fades into a dark blackish – brown on the tail feathers. The underside of the spotless crake is also a bluish–grey which then transitions to a blackish–grey on the underside of the tail feathers. Its bill is black, and its eyes are a deep red which contrast sharply with the head. The legs and feet are a reddish–pink colour. [8] Spotless crake lack any obvious sexual dimorphism, making it difficult to distinguish between male and female. [9]

The juvenile is similar to the adult, but its colouring is duller over the whole body, and is paler and browner than the mature crake. Its chin and throat have a white patch on it. The back is a dull brown, and the head and underside is a dull grey–brown. The eyes are a brownish-orange which then begin to turn red as it matures. The colour of the legs and feet can vary from an olive–brown, brownish–grey, or a brownish–flesh colour which also turn red as it matures. [8]

The spotless crake has a variety of calls, although little is known about the meaning of each. Originally, seven separate calls of the spotless crake were detected, including a bubbling sound, a sharp, high pitched ‘pit-pit’, a ‘mook’ sound which varies in loudness and pitch, and a loud ‘purring’ call. [10] The high-pitched ‘purr’ sound is believed to be its song. This call is made up of a rapid series of notes which are roughly 25 per second, making it its loudest call. [9] More calls were detected at the time but since then only four have been described. [11]

Distribution and habitat

Spotless crake (right) with a Baillon's crake (left) MarshCrake SpotlessCrake.jpg
Spotless crake (right) with a Baillon's crake (left)

The spotless crake is widely distributed throughout the south pacific including the Philippines, Moluccas, New Guinea, Melanesia, Australia, Tasmania, Norfolk Island, and south-west Polynesia including New Zealand, [12] as well as Indonesia. [8]

In New Zealand, the spotless crake, also known as pūweto, is distributed throughout the mainland. Numbers are few in the South Island with only a handful of isolated communities on the west coast, east coast, and Southland, New Zealand. The distribution in the North Island is spread far wider, but there are still few communities. Most sightings of spotless crake tend to be near the top of the North Island. [13] Nationally important sites include: Awarua-Waituna wetland complex in Southland, New Zealand, Great Barrier Island, Kermadec Islands, Lake Wairarapa, Poor Knights Islands, Tiritiri Matangi Island, and Whangamarino wetland in Waikato. [14] Other than on the mainland the spotless crake has been found on many offshore islands including: ‘Kermadec Islands, Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, Poor Knights Island, and the Chatham Islands’. Fossils of the spotless crake from the Holocene period have also been found on the mainland, as well as the Chatham Islands. [12] Because the spotless crake is rarely seen, it is hard to determine what the population size is, so currently population numbers are unknown in New Zealand. [14]

It is believed that the reason spotless crake are rarely found in the South Island, New Zealand is due to the more dominant rail the marsh crake pushing the spotless crake out of suitable habitat, as the natural habitat of the two species are very similar. Another reason may be that spotless crakes are not as tolerant of the colder climates of the South Island, being mainly found in warmer coastal localities. [15]

Spotless crakes are freshwater wetland birds. Their preferred habitat is wetland and swamp areas that contain dense vegetation in which to build their nests from. [10] They can be found foraging on open muddy areas near dense vegetation, but when disturbed they retreat back into the vegetation. On some small offshore islands, where wetlands are sparse, they have been known to live and forage in dry forest. [14] Although raupo tends to be the preferred habitat for spotless crake, they have also been found in swamp areas composed of flax ( Phormium tenax ), tussock sedge (Carex secta), and cabbage tree ( Cordyline australis ). [9] If habitat is not ideal, they are also able to migrate locally, which other subspecies do elsewhere. [14]

Behaviour and ecology

Breeding

Eggs in a nest, Southwest Australia, 1913 The Emu volume 13 plate 20.png
Eggs in a nest, Southwest Australia, 1913

Determining the sexual behaviour of spotless crake is difficult due to their shy nature and dense vegetation which restricts observations. Kaufmann [9] observed the mating of spotless crakes at Pukepuke Lagoon where the male and female circled a patch of tussock sedge (C. secta) then stood on it. The female arched her body with the bill facing down. The male then mounted, while balancing with outstretched wings. Intromission only lasted a few seconds.

Nests are made up of interwoven grasses within patches of tussock sedge and raupo. [14] [9] They usually breed in large, dense, and tall stands of reeds, rushes, sedges, and grass tussocks. [8] Their nests are found between 30 – 50 cm above the water, and are found to be in close proximity to other nest-like platforms. [9] [11] Eggs are laid from late August to the end of January, with a clutch size of between 2 and 5 eggs. [14] [9] The eggs are a ‘dull creamy brown or pinkish with faint chestnut flecks’. [11] Both the male and female incubate the eggs for between 20 – 22 days. [14] [9] It is believed there is evidence to suggest that clutch size increases as the season progresses; from 3 egg clutches in August and September to 5 egg clutches in December. Hadden [10] found the same pattern in clutch size. After hatching, the chicks remain in the nest for up to four days, and have the ability to catch live prey from three days old. Chicks are then reared by both the male and female for 4 – 5 months. [14]

Food and feeding

Spotless crake are omnivorous. Their diet consists of seeds, fruits, shoots of grasses, leaves of aquatic plants, adult and larval insects, mollusks, crustaceans, spiders, carrion, worms, beetles, and other insects. [8] [11] [14]

Threats

Due to the introduction of mammalian predators, the spotless crake is vulnerable to predation. Predators include cats, dogs, mustelids, and rats. The major predator threat appear to be cats. [14] Parents may feign injury to distract predators if they are present. [11] Other threats to spotless crake are the clearance of habitat, such as swamp draining and clearing for agriculture which mainly took place when Europeans arrived. Water pollution and degradation of wetlands due to grazing are also major threats. [14]

SE Queensland, Australia

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sora (bird)</span> Species of bird

The sora is a small waterbird of the rail family Rallidae, sometimes also referred to as the sora rail or sora crake, that occurs throughout much of North America. The genus name Porzana is derived from Venetian terms for small rails, and the specific carolina refers to the Carolina Colony. The common name "Sora" is probably taken from a Native American language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inaccessible Island rail</span> Bird species endemic to the south Atlantic

The Inaccessible Island rail is a small bird of the rail family, Rallidae. Endemic to Inaccessible Island in the Tristan Archipelago in the isolated south Atlantic, it is the smallest extant flightless bird in the world. The species was formally described by physician Percy Lowe in 1923 but had first come to the attention of scientists 50 years earlier. The Inaccessible Island rail's taxonomic affinities and origin were a long-standing mystery; in 2018 its closest relative was identified as the South American dot-winged crake, and it was decided that both species are best classified in the genus Laterallus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted crake</span> Species of bird

The spotted crake is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae. The scientific name is derived from Venetian terms for small rails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little crake</span> Species of bird

The little crake is a very small waterbird of the family Rallidae. parva is Latin for "small". This species was long included in the genus Porzana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baillon's crake</span> Species of bird

Baillon's crake, also known as the marsh crake, is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clapper rail</span> New world bird of salt marshes, recently split into different species

The clapper rail is a member of the rail family, Rallidae. The taxonomy for this species is confusing and still being determined. It is a large brown rail that is resident in wetlands along the Atlantic coasts of the eastern United States, eastern Mexico and some Caribbean islands. This species was formerly considered to be conspecific with the mangrove rail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruddy-breasted crake</span> Species of bird

The ruddy-breasted crake, or ruddy crake, is a waterbird in the rail and crake family Rallidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black rail</span> Species of bird

The black rail is a mouse-sized member of the rail family Rallidae that occurs in both North and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laysan rail</span> Extinct species of bird

The Laysan rail or Laysan crake was a flightless bird endemic to the Northwest Hawaiian Island of Laysan. This small island was and still is an important seabird colony, and sustained a number of endemic species, including the rail. It became extinct due to habitat loss by domestic rabbits, and ultimately World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise shelduck</span> Species of bird

The paradise shelduck, also known as the paradise duck, or pūtangitangi in Māori, is a species of shelduck, a group of goose-like ducks, which is endemic to New Zealand. Johann Friedrich Gmelin placed it in the genus Anas with the ducks, geese, and swans. Both the male and female have striking plumages: the male has a black head and barred black body and the female has a white head with a chestnut body. They weigh between 1.09 and 2 kg and are between 63 and 71 cm in length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand scaup</span> Species of bird

The New Zealand scaup, also known as the black teal or pāpango in Māori, is a diving duck species of the genus Aythya endemic to New Zealand. They weigh around 650 grams (23 oz) and measure around 40 centimetres (16 in), and have dark-coloured plumage. They are found throughout New Zealand in deep natural and man-made lakes and ponds.

<i>Porzana</i> Genus of birds

Porzana is a genus of birds in the crake and rail family, Rallidae. Its scientific name is derived from Venetian terms for small rails. The spotted crake is the type species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African rail</span> Species of bird

The African rail is a small wetland bird of the rail family that is found in eastern and southern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African crake</span> A bird in the rail family that breeds in most of sub-Saharan Africa.

The African crake is a small- to medium-size ground-living bird in the rail family, found in most of central to southern Africa. It is seasonally common in most of its range other than the rainforests and areas that have low annual rainfall. This crake is a partial migrant, moving away from the equator as soon as the rains provide sufficient grass cover to allow it to breed elsewhere. There have been a few records of vagrant birds reaching Atlantic islands. This species nests in a wide variety of grassland types, and agricultural land with tall crops may also be used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black crake</span> Species of bird

The black crake is a waterbird in the rail and crake family, Rallidae. It breeds in most of sub-Saharan Africa except in very arid areas. It undertakes some seasonal movements in those parts of its range which are subject to drought. No subspecies have been described. It appears that the oldest available name for this species is actually Rallus niger J. F. Gmelin, 1788, but Swainson believed that the earlier name was unidentifiable, and his own has since become well embedded in the literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maroon shining parrot</span> Species of bird

The maroon shining parrot or red shining-parrot, is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni in Fiji and was introduced to the islands of southern Tonga in prehistoric times. The species is sometimes considered conspecific with the crimson shining-parrot of Kadavu. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian crake</span> Species of bird

The Australian crake , also known as Australian spotted crake, or spotted crake is a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It is the only species of Australian crake in the genus Porzana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whangamarino Wetland</span> Wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention

The Whangamarino Wetland in the Waikato District is the second largest wetland complex of the North Island of New Zealand. Encompassing a total area of more than 7200 hectares, the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai manages 5,923 hectares of peat bog, swamp, mesotrophic lags, open water and river systems listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Fish and Game New Zealand are the second largest landowner, managing 748 hectares of the wetland primarily as gamebird hunting habitat.

<i>Zapornia</i> Genus of birds

Zapornia is a recently revalidated genus of birds in the rail family Rallidae; it was included in Porzana for much of the late 20th century. These smallish to tiny rails are found across most of the world, but are entirely absent from the Americas except as wind-blown stray birds. A number of species, and probably an even larger number of prehistorically extinct ones, are known only from small Pacific islands; several of these lost the ability to fly in the absence of terrestrial predators. They are somewhat less aquatic than Porzana proper, inhabiting the edges of wetlands, reedbelts, but also drier grass- and shrubland and in some cases open forest.

<i>Zapornia pusilla affinis</i> Subspecies of bird

Zapornia pusilla affinis is a subspecies of Baillon's crake endemic to New Zealand. It is also called the marsh crake in English or koitareke in Māori.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Zapornia tabuensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22692705A93365864. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692705A93365864.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Gmelin, Johann Friedrich (1789). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1, Part 2 (13th ed.). Lipsiae [Leipzig]: Georg. Emanuel. Beer. p. 717.
  3. ↑ Latham, John (1785). A General Synopsis of Birds. Vol. 3, Part 1. London: Printed for Leigh and Sotheby. p. 235.
  4. ↑ Walters, Michael (1988). "Probable validity of Rallus nigra Miller, an extinct species from Tahiti" (PDF). Notornis. 35 (4): 265–269.
  5. ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  413, 377. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  6. ↑ Leach, William Elford (1816). Systematic Catalogue of the Specimens of the Indigenous Mammalia and Birds that are Preserved in the British Museum: with Their Localities and Authorities. London: Printed by Richard and Arthur Taylor. p. 34.
  7. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2022). "Flufftails, finfoots, rails, trumpeters, cranes, limpkin". IOC World Bird List Version 12.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Marchant, S.; Higgins, P.J., eds. (1993). "Porzana tabuensis Spotless Crake" (PDF). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds. Vol. 2, Raptors to lapwings. Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. pp. 559–566. ISBN   978-0-19-553069-8.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kaufmann, G; Lavers, R (1987). "Observations of breeding behaviour of spotless crake (Porzana tabuensis) and marsh crake (P. pusilla) at Pukepuke Lagoon" (PDF). Notornis . 37: 193–205.
  10. 1 2 3 Hadden, D (1970). "Notes on the spotless crake in the Waingaro District". Notornis. 17 (3): 200–213.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Fitzgerald, N (2013). "Spotless crake". New Zealand Birds Online – The digital encyclopaedia of New Zealand birds. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  12. 1 2 Gill, B. J; Bell, B. D; Chambers, G. K; Medway, D. G; Palma, R. L; Scofield, R. P; Tennyson, A. J. D; Worthy, T. H (2010). Checklist of the birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. New Zealand: Te Papa Press.
  13. ↑ Robertson, C. J. R; Hyvonen, P; Fraser, M. J; Pickard, C. R (2007). Atlas of bird distribution in New Zealand, 1999-2004. New Zealand: Ornithological Society of New Zealand.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Spotless crake/ puweto". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  15. ↑ O'Donnell, C F.J (1993). "Distribution and habitats of Spotless Crakes in Canterbury". Notornis. 41 (3): 211–213.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.