Okinawa rail

Okinawa rail
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Rallidae
Genus: Hypotaenidia
Species:
H. okinawae
Binomial name
Hypotaenidia okinawae
(Yamashina & Mano, 1981)
Approximate distribution
  Range

Depicted: Okinawa Island, Japan

Synonyms

The Okinawa rail (Hypotaenidia okinawae) is a species of bird in the rail family, Rallidae. It is endemic to Okinawa Island in Japan where it is known as the Yanbaru kuina (ヤンバルクイナ(山原水鶏), "Yanbaru rail"). Its existence was only confirmed in 1978 and it was formally described in 1981 although unidentified rails had been recorded on the island since at least 1973 and local stories of a bird known as the agachi kumira may refer to this species.[2]

It is a medium-sized and almost flightless rail with short wings and tail, olive-brown upperparts, black underparts with white bars and a red bill and legs.

It occurs in subtropical moist forests and in neighboring habitats. It nests and feeds on the ground but usually roosts in trees. It is classified as an endangered species and is threatened by habitat loss and introduced predators.[1]

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Hypotaenidia okinawae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22692412A93352408. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692412A93352408.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ Brazil, Mark A. (1991) The Birds of Japan, Christopher Helm, London.