Calayan Rail Gallirallus calayanensis Scientific name definitions

c. 30 cm; 245 g. A dark and compact rail with rather long and deep-based bill. Plumage is mostly dark olive, with side of head and throat blackish , chin white, rump olive-brown; remiges blackish with brown fringes on outer webs, underwing-coverts with pale, creamy bars or tips; tail feathers of holotype decomposed, giving hairy appearance; iris orange-brown to deep brown; narrow dull orange orbital ring; bill scarlet, becoming yellowish-orange distally, with narrow dark ridge at tip of culmen; legs  and feet orange-red. Sexes similar. Juvenile similar to adult, but may have whitish spot on rear ear-coverts.

Calayan I, off N Luzon, in N Philippines.

Primary and secondary forest on coralline limestone.

Usual call a series of hoarse, staccato “ngeck” notes, repeated at rate of c. 7 per second.

One nest with 3 eggs in Jun; nest on the ground at the base of a fig tree, loosely constructed with dried leaves and stems; eggs pale pink and blotched reddish-brown and dark lilac, c. 35 mm × 25 mm (1 Oliveros, C.H. and Layusa, C.A.A. (2011). First description of the nest and eggs of the Calayan Rail. J. Yamashina Inst. Orn.. 42: 143–146. Close ).

VULNERABLE. Restricted-range species: present in Batanes and Babuyan Islands Secondary Area. Has very small known range, within which its population likely very small; estimated in range 100–200 pairs. Recent observations indicate that it is locally common, and occupies an area of c. 36 km²; it appears tolerant of degraded habitat. At present not known to be declining, but, if any evidence of decrease is detected, uplisting to Critically Endangered may be required. This species’ habitat seems not to be under particularly strong pressure; human population is very low, and this rail, although occasionally caught in traps set for other birds, is not directly hunted. Local trade in wildlife could possibly have an adverse effect on this species, and road-building would probably encourage further human settlement and attendant mammalian predators, especially cats, dogs and rats (Rattus). Tourism development a possible future threat.