© GW - monacoeye, all rights reserved • Gambia, February, 2013

Bird name: Black Crake
Latin: Amaurornis flavirostra
Other: Râle à bec jaune (Fr), rallo nero (It)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Crakes
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar:

I saw Black Crakes a couple of times long enough to snap a photo at Marakissa.

The adult Black Crake is black with bright yellow bill and red eyes. The juvenile (below) is duller with a dark bill. Like the jacana it is adept at walking on lily pads.


Juvenile Black Crake walking on lily pads, Marakissa, Gambia, Feb 2013.
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • Kartong Bird Observatory, Gambia, Mar 2013

Bird name: African Swamphen
Latin: Porphyrio madagascariensis
Other: Purple Swamphen • Talève d'Afrique (Fr), Purpurhuhn (De)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Swamphens
Range: Iberia, Africa
Similar:

In Gambia, I only saw the African Swamphen at the Kartong Bird Observatory in the south of the country.

An impressive-looking and rather beautiful large rail, which appeared to be chewing its way through reeds with its scissor-like bill.

The African Swamphen flicks its tail showing a white vent. It has large red feet and legs, purple-blue body, red frontal shield and bill. The juvenile is duller.

I’ve mis-watermarked these photos as Purple Swamphen, which was the name for the larger pre-split group, and is now the IOC name for the darker north African and European birds, which were the nominate race of Porphyrio porphyrio.More photos...

© Robert P - monacoeye • Everglades

Bird name: Purple Gallinule
Latin: Porphyrio martinica
Other: American Purple Gallinule • Frango d’água-azul (Br)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Swamphens
Range: Americas
Similar: Common Gallinule

Thanks to Bob for sending the above photo of an American Purple Gallinule seen in the Everglades in Florida.

Further, below, a couple of juveniles seen on the banks of the Chagres River in Central Panama. Also Regua, Brazil.

Not technically in the Gallinule family.

Purple Gallinule in flight, Regua, RJ, Brazil, September.
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • RJ, Brazil.

Bird name: Blackish Rail
Latin: Pardirallus nigricans
Other: Râle noirâtre (Fr), gallineta negruzca (Es), saracura-sanã (Br)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Swamphens
Range: W Amazonia, E, SE South America
Similar:

A fleeting record shot of a Blackish Rail seen in upstate Rio de Janeiro.

© GW - monacoeye, all rights reserved • Brazil, September

Bird name: Rufous Sided Crake
Latin: Laterallus melanophaius
Other: Râle brunoir (Fr), Burrito común (Es), sanã-parda (Br)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Crakes
Range: South America
Similar:

A couple of record shots of Rufous-sided Crake in the reeds at Regua, RJ, Brazil.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Pantanal, Brazil, August.

Bird name: Grey Necked Wood Rail
Latin: Aramides cajanea
Other: Gray-necked Wood-rail • Saracura-três-potes (Br) • Chiricote (Es), Rascón cuello gris, Chilacoa colinegra
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Wood Rails
Range: Mexico to Argentina, incl Brazil etc.
Similar:

Grey-necked Wood-Rails were one of the most frequently seen birds in the Pantanal in August - always in or near water. The riverbanks around Curicaca Lodge usually produced one or two, often near jacarés, and once beside a capuchin monkey which was drinking from the river.

Grey-necked Wood-rails are medium-sized colourful birds with red legs, rufous underparts, grey neck, yellow-green bill and red irises. The grey neck is diagnostic. They are found throughout Central America and South America east of the Andes.

Below, close-up of a Grey-necked Wood Rail, Pantanal, Brazil, August.
More photos...

Copyright: DK/monacoeye • Chile • April 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Andean Coot
Latin: Fulica ardesiaca
Other: Focha andina
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Coots
Range: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina
Similar:

Many thanks to Dirk for sending in this nice photo of an Andean Coot at the Salar de Atacama, Chile.

Bill and frontal shield can vary in colour from yellow and red to white. See below for paler variants.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Perth, February 2010

Bird name: Dusky Moorhen
Latin: Gallinula tenebrosa
Other:
Family: Rallidae • Rails
Range: Widespread Australasia

Thanks to Tania for sending in this photo of a Dusky Moorhen seen in Perth, Australia.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, April 2010

Bird name: Common Gallinule
Latin: Gallinula galeata
Other: Common Gallinule (US) • Polla Gris (Es), Polla de Agua • Galinha-d'água (Pt)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Gallinules
Range: North America, South America, Hawaii

The IOC has adopted the split of Common Gallinule of Western Hemisphere from the Common Moorhen on the basis of morphological, genetic, and vocal differences (Groenenberg et al 2008, SACC).

So following the IOC naming system, these birds from Panama and Brazil pictured are therefore Common Gallinules, Gallinula galeata, and not Common Moorhens, which are restricted to Europe, Asia and Africa. If I had known at the time I might have got some better photos…

Photo: monacoeye • Nice, Ventimiglia • Summer 2009

Bird name: Common Moorhen
Latin: Gallinula chloropus
Other: Gallinule Poule d'Eau (Fr) • Teichralle (De) • Polla Gris (Es), Polla de Agua • Galinha-d'água (Pt)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Gallinules
Range: Eurasia, Africa, Indian Ocean islands, S, SE Asia to Philippines, N Mariana Is.

The Common Moorhen, has a distinctive red beak with yellow tip. Rails are aquatic birds but Moorhens' toes are not lobed, unlike Coots. One of the most commonly seen waterbirds - seen in Cote d’Azur, France, Danube Delta etc.

See Common Gallinule for the similar bird found in the Americas, recently split.

More photos...

Copyright: TH/monacoeye • Perth, Australia • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Buff Banded Rail
Latin: Gallirallus philippensis
Other:
Family: Rallidae - Rails
Range: Australia

A Buff-banded Rail scurrying away in Perth.

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Ammo Dump, Panama, 23 April 2010

Bird name: Sora
Latin: Porzana carolina
Other:
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Crakes
Range: North, Central, South America

A couple of record shots of Soras, seen at the Ammo Dump in central Panama.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Brazil 2006

Bird name: Slaty Breasted Wood Rail
Latin: Aramides saracura
Other: Saracura-do-brejo (Br), Saracura-do-mato
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Wood Rails
Range: Southeast Brazil

The Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail has no rufous colouring below and is dull greenish brown above, with grey neck and underparts. Found in the southeast of Brazil.More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Ammo Ponds, Panama • 28 April 2010

Bird name: White Throated Crake
Latin: Laterallus albigularis
Other:
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Crakes
Range: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador.
Similar:

The White-throated Crake is not the easiest of birds to see as it tends to stay hidden in swamps, moving around within dense grasses.

After a while we managed to catch sight of this family, however, in the Ammo Ponds, in the canal zone of central Panama. The White-throated Crake adults are rufous with black and white barred belly and green bill, whereas juveniles have darker plumage and pinkish bill. One of the adults had a light throat.


More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Mostardas, Brazil • November 2009

Bird name: Giant Wood Rail
Latin: Aramides ypecaha
Other: Saracuruçu (Br) • Ipecaá • Rascón cuello rojo (Es)
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Wood Rails

In Brazil, the Giant Wood Rail is found mostly in Rio Grande do Sul and it also lives in neighbouring countries. This individual was one of two seen on farmland. Quite shy.

The Giant Wood-rail is distinguished from the similar Slaty-breasted Wood-rail and Gray-necked Wood-rail by its rufous back of neck and belly.

More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Mostardas, Brazil • November 2009

Bird name: White Winged Coot
Latin: Fulica leucoptera
Other: Carqueja-de-bico-amerelo (Br) • Gallareta ala blanca (Es) • Gallareta chica • Tagua chica • Gallareta Escudete Amarillo
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Coots

The White Winged Coot was the most common coot in the area I visited, although there are two others that live in the area. Large groups were seen at some distance, often with Chilean Flamingos.

In Brazil, the White-winged Coot only lives in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and it can also be found in neighbouring countries. It can be differentiated from its two close relatives, the Red-gartered and Red-fronted Coot, by its lack of red in the bill area.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Mostardas, Brazil • November 2009

Bird name: Spot Flanked Gallinule
Latin: Gallinula melanops
Other: Carqueja-de-bico-amerelo (Br) • Polla pintada (Es) • Other Es: Tagüita • Polla sabanera • Pollolla • Pollona pintada • Pitroca
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Gallinules
Range:
Similar:

I regret not spending more time looking out for Coots and Rails in the Lagoa do Peixe area - I discovered on my return that there are many different species that live in this area. This was the only Spot-flanked Gallinule I saw - distinguished by its green beak area.

The Spot-flanked Gallinule lives in eastern Brazil and other South American countries.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Europe • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Eurasian Coot
Latin: Fulica atra
Other: Coot • Foulque Macroule • Focha Común • Blässhuhn • Folaga • Galeirão-Comum
Family: Rallidae - Rails, Coots

The Coot is probably the bird you are most likely to see near a lake or slow waterway in Europe, after the Mallard.

Easy to identify from its bobbing head movement and white shield that extends from the bill, which on closer inspection can be slightly pinkish. Plumage generally appears black.

There are about 11 Coot species worldwide, mostly in South America. The Eurasian Coot is the only one you are likely to see in Europe, though the Red Knobbed Coot can be found in southwest Spain.

The Coots are parts of the Rail family, which includes the larger Moorhen, which has a red bill with yellow tip, and is often seen in the same riverside habitat.

Notice the long lobed toes, even on the Coot chick, seen in Geneva, in June. The photo of several hundred on a lake was taken in the Camargue in January.More photos...

046 Rallidae - Rails, Crakes, Coots, Gallinules, Wood Rails, Swamphens - IOC 2.5 - 2010

Himantornis haematopus - Nkulengu Rail - W, WC, C Africa

Canirallus oculeus - Grey-throated Rail - W, WC, C Africa
Canirallus kioloides - Madagascar Wood Rail - Madagascar

Coturnicops exquisitus - Swinhoe's Rail - E Eurasia
Coturnicops noveboracensis - Yellow Rail - E, C North America
Coturnicops notatus - Speckled Rail - N, SE South America - New name

Micropygia schomburgkii - Ocellated Crake - N, SC, SE South America

Rallina rubra - Chestnut Forest Rail - New Guinea - New name
Rallina leucospila - White-striped Forest Rail - New Guinea - New name
Rallina forbesi - Forbes's Forest Rail - New Guinea - New name
Rallina mayri - Mayr's Forest Rail - New Guinea - New name
Rallina tricolor - Red-necked Crake - Widespread Australasia
Rallina canningi - Andaman Crake - Andaman Islands
Rallina fasciata - Red-legged Crake - NE India to Lesser Sundas, Philippines
Rallina eurizonoides - Slaty-legged Crake - Widespread Asia

Anurolimnas castaneiceps - Chestnut-headed Crake - S Colombia to NW Bolivia

Laterallus viridis - Russet-crowned Crake - Amazonia
Laterallus fasciatus - Black-banded Crake - W Amazonia
Laterallus melanophaius - Rufous-sided Crake - Widespread South America
Laterallus levraudi - Rusty-flanked Crake - Venezuela
Laterallus ruber - Ruddy Crake - E Mexico to Costa Rica
Laterallus albigularis - White-throated Crake - Nicaragua to Ecuador
Laterallus exilis - Grey-breasted Crake - Guatemala through Amazonia, SE South America
Laterallus jamaicensis - Black Rail - USA, Greater Antilles to W South America - Laterallus jamaicensis includes ssp salinasi
Laterallus tuerosi - Junin Crake - Peru
Laterallus spilonotus - Galapagos Crake - Galápagos Islands
Laterallus leucopyrrhus - Red-and-white Crake - SE South America
Laterallus xenopterus - Rufous-faced Crake - SC Brazil, C Paraguay

Nesoclopeus poecilopterus - Bar-winged Rail - Fiji Islands
Nesoclopeus woodfordi - Woodford's Rail - Solomon Islands

Gallirallus australis - Weka - New Zealand
Gallirallus calayanensis - Calayan Rail - Philippines
Gallirallus lafresnayanus - New Caledonian Rail - New Caledonia
Gallirallus sylvestris - Lord Howe Woodhen - Lord Howe Island
Gallirallus okinawae - Okinawa Rail - Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands
Gallirallus torquatus - Barred Rail - W New Guinea, Sulawesi, Australasia, also Philippines
Gallirallus insignis - Pink-legged Rail - New Britain
Gallirallus philippensis - Buff-banded Rail - Widespread Australasia, also Philippines
Gallirallus owstoni - Guam Rail - Guam
Gallirallus rovianae - Roviana Rail - Solomon Islands
Gallirallus striatus - Slaty-breasted Rail - Widespread Asia

Rallus longirostris - Clapper Rail - Widespread North America, Latin America
Rallus elegans - King Rail - E, C North America, Middle America
Rallus wetmorei - Plain-flanked Rail - Venezuela
Rallus limicola - Virginia Rail - Widespread North America - Mexico
Rallus aequatorialis - Ecuadorian Rail - SW Colombia, Ecuador - Split from R. limicola
Rallus semiplumbeus - Bogota Rail - Colombia
Rallus antarcticus - Austral Rail - S South America
Rallus aquaticus - Water Rail - W Europe to C Asia - N Africa, W S Asia
Rallus indicus - Brown-cheeked Rail - E Siberia to Japan - Nepal to SE Asia, Borneo - Split from R. aquaticus
Rallus caerulescens - African Rail - E, SC, SE, S Africa
Rallus madagascariensis - Madagascar Rail - Madagascar

Lewinia mirifica - Brown-banded Rail - Philippines
Lewinia pectoralis - Lewin's Rail - Lesser Sundas, New Guinea, E Australia
Lewinia muelleri - Auckland Rail - Auckland Islands

Dryolimnas cuvieri - White-throated Rail - Madagascar, Aldabra Island

Crex egregia - African Crake - Widespread Africa
Crex crex - Corn Crake - C, W Eurasia - S Africa

Rougetius rougetii - Rouget's Rail - Ethiopia, Eritrea

Aramidopsis plateni - Snoring Rail - Sulawesi

Atlantisia rogersi - Inaccessible Island Rail - Inaccessible Island

Aramides mangle - Little Wood Rail - E Brazil
Aramides axillaris - Rufous-necked Wood Rail - Mexico to Ecuador, Belize, N South America
Aramides cajanea - Grey-necked Wood Rail - S Mexico to N Argentina
Aramides wolfi - Brown Wood Rail - Colombia to Peru
Aramides ypecaha - Giant Wood Rail - SE South America
Aramides saracura - Slaty-breasted Wood Rail - SE South America
Aramides calopterus - Red-winged Wood Rail - W Amazonia

Amaurolimnas concolor - Uniform Crake - Widespread Latin America

Gymnocrex rosenbergii - Blue-faced Rail - Sulawesi
Gymnocrex talaudensis - Talaud Rail - Karakelong Island
Gymnocrex plumbeiventris - Bare-eyed Rail - New Guineas, Moluccas

Amaurornis akool - Brown Bush-hen - India to SE China
Amaurornis isabellina - Isabelline Bush-hen - Sulawesi
Amaurornis olivacea - Plain Bush-hen - Philippines
Amaurornis moluccana - Pale-vented Bush-hen - Lesser Sundas to Australia - Split from A. olivacea
Amaurornis magnirostris - Talaud Bush-hen - Karakelong Island
Amaurornis phoenicurus - White-breasted Waterhen - Widespread Asia
Amaurornis flavirostra - Black Crake - Widespread Africa
Amaurornis olivieri - Sakalava Rail - Madagascar

Porzana bicolor - Black-tailed Crake - NE India to SC China
Porzana parva - Little Crake - W, C Eurasia - C Africa
Porzana pusilla - Baillon's Crake - Widespread Eurasia, Africa, Asia, Australasia
Porzana porzana - Spotted Crake - W, C Eurasia - Africa, W Asia
Porzana fluminea - Australian Crake - Australia
Porzana carolina - Sora - Widespread North America - S South America to N, NW South America
Porzana spiloptera - Dot-winged Crake - SE South America
Porzana albicollis - Ash-throated Crake - N, SC, SE South America
Porzana fusca - Ruddy-breasted Crake - Widespread Asia, also E Asia
Porzana paykullii - Band-bellied Crake - E Eurasia - E Asia
Porzana tabuensis - Spotless Crake - Widespread Australasia
Porzana atra - Red-eyed Crake - Pitcairn Island
Porzana flaviventer - Yellow-breasted Crake - Caribbean & S Mexico to SE South America
Porzana cinerea - White-browed Crake - Malay Peninsula & Philippines to N Australia

Aenigmatolimnas marginalis - Striped Crake - WC, SE Africa

Cyanolimnas cerverai - Zapata Rail - Cuba

Neocrex colombiana - Colombian Crake - Panama to Ecuador
Neocrex erythrops - Paint-billed Crake - Widespread South America

Pardirallus maculatus - Spotted Rail - Widespread Latin America, also Caribbean
Pardirallus nigricans - Blackish Rail - W Amazonia, E, SE South America
Pardirallus sanguinolentus - Plumbeous Rail - S, W South America

Eulabeornis castaneoventris - Chestnut Rail - N Australia, Aru Islands

Habroptila wallacii - Invisible Rail - N Moluccas

Megacrex inepta - New Guinea Flightless Rail - New Guinea - New name

Gallicrex cinerea - Watercock - Widespread Asia

Porphyrio porphyrio - Purple Swamphen - Widespread Africa, Eurasia, Asia, Australasia
Porphyrio madagascariensis - African Swamphen - Widespread Africa
Porphyrio hochstetteri - Takahe - New Zealand
Porphyrio alleni - Allen's Gallinule - Widespread Africa
Porphyrio martinica - Purple Gallinule - SE USA to N Argentina
Porphyrio flavirostris - Azure Gallinule - N, Amazonia, SC South America

Gallinula silvestris - Makira Woodhen - Solomon Islands
Gallinula comeri - Gough Moorhen - Gough Is. Atlantic Ocean - Split from (extinct) flightless relative G. nesiotis; now traditional moorhen
Gallinula chloropus - Common Moorhen - Eurasia, Africa, Indian Ocean islands, S, SE Asia to Philippines, N Mariana Is. Eurasia, Africa, Indian Ocean, Asia, Pacific Ocean
Gallinula galeata - Common Gallinule - North America, South America, Hawaii - Split from Common Moorhen
Gallinula tenebrosa - Dusky Moorhen - Widespread Australasia
Gallinula angulata - Lesser Moorhen - Widespread Africa
Gallinula melanops - Spot-flanked Gallinule - E, S South America

Tribonyx - were Gallinula
Tribonyx ventralis - Black-tailed Nativehen - Australia
Tribonyx mortierii - Tasmanian Nativehen - Tasmania

Fulica cristata - Red-knobbed Coot - S, SE, E Africa
Fulica atra - Eurasian Coot - Widespread Eurasia, Asia, Australasia - N Africa
Fulica alai - Hawaiian Coot - Hawaiian Islands
Fulica americana - American Coot - Widespread North America, Middle America, also Hawaiian Islands & N South America
Fulica caribaea - Caribbean Coot - Caribbean, North America, also N South America
Fulica leucoptera - White-winged Coot - SC, Southern Cone
Fulica ardesiaca - Andean Coot - Colombia to NW Argentina
Fulica armillata - Red-gartered Coot - Southern Cone
Fulica rufifrons - Red-fronted Coot - Southern Cone
Fulica gigantea - Giant Coot - Peru to NW Argentina
Fulica cornuta - Horned Coot - N Chile to NW Argentina