The Zoochat Photographic Guide to Rails and allies

Tribonyx
Two extant species, both of which are represented in the Zoochat galleries.

The members of this genus were formerly (still by some authors) included in the genus Gallinula to which they are closely related.



There is one known extinct member of this genus:

Hodgen's Waterhen Tribonyx hodgenorum
A flightless species endemic to New Zealand, known only from subfossil bones (including from Maori midden sites). The species was extinct before Europeans arrived in the country.



......................



Tasmanian Native Hen Tribonyx mortierii
Monotypic.



A flightless species endemic to the island of Tasmania (Australia).



Photo by @Hix in the wild, Tasmania (Australia).

full

Tasmanian Native Hen - ZooChat


Photo by @WhistlingKite24 in the wild, Tasmania (Australia) - adult with chick.

full

Tasmanian Native-Hen with chick - ZooChat



......................



Black-tailed Native Hen Tribonyx ventralis
Monotypic.



Found through much of Australia, although mostly inland. Only recorded as a vagrant to Tasmania (and New Zealand).



Photo by @Hix in the wild, Australia

full

Black-tailed Nativehen - ZooChat
 
Last edited:
And, with that, the family Rallidae has been completed. In this thread the total number of rails [after some changes - see the following paragraphs] came out at 130 extant species in about 37 genera, of which 59 species from about 20 genera are represented in the Zoochat galleries. This is about 43% of species which is a pretty good ratio for a family of such sneaky birds as rails, however in reality only a few groups were well represented (notably Porphyrio with 8 out of 10 species depicted, and the "Fulica" clade with 15 out of 21 species depicted). In the next post I will provide a full list of the Order Gruiformes showing which species are and aren't represented by photos.

While I was making this thread, a new paper was published by Garcia-R et al on the phylogenetics of the Rallidae (" Phylogenomic Reconstruction Sheds Light on New Relationships and Timescale of Rails (Aves: Rallidae) Evolution" - Phylogenomic Reconstruction Sheds Light on New Relationships and Timescale of Rails (Aves: Rallidae) Evolution). Fortunately the results were largely confirming the 2014 paper by Garcia-R et al, so the taxonomy I have followed remained valid (!). However there were some notable new findings which I have edited into the thread.

The biggest find was that New Guinea genus Rallicula is actually related to the Afro-Madagascan flufftails (in Sarothruridae) and are not "true" rails after all.

The Nkulengu Rail Himantornis haematopus was found to in fact be distinct from all other rails - as had previously been the majority opinion (it is suggested that the sample used in the 2014 study, which showed it to fall within the "Gallicrex" clade, was incorrectly identified - i.e. it wasn't from a Nkulengu Rail at all).

In more minor findings, the uncertainty of the placement of Rougetius was resolved (it does indeed belong in the "Rallus" clade) - but it was found that the African Crake Crex egregia is a sister-species to Rougetius and not to the Corncrake Crex crex, so the genus Crex is actually paraphyletic. And the White-browed Crake Amaurornis cinerea was found to not belong to the genus Amaurornis but instead is a sister-species to the flightless Megacrex inepta of New Guinea.
 
Last edited:
Below is a full list of the families, genera, and species used in this thread (or, for the cranes, in the thread The Zoochat Photographic Guide to Cranes). Species which are represented by photos in the Zoochat galleries are marked with asterisks.

In brief, there are photos for two out of four trumpeters; for the Limpkin (sole member of its family); for all fifteen species of cranes; for two of the three sungrebes; for one of the fifteen members of the flufftail family; and for 60 of the 130 rails.



Suborder GRUI


PSOPHIIDAE
Trumpeters
Three to eight species in a single genus (I have used a four-species taxonomy in this thread), of which two species are represented in the Zoochat galleries.

*Grey-winged Trumpeter Psophia crepitans
*White-winged Trumpeter Psophia leucoptera
Ochre-winged Trumpeter Psophia ochroptera
Green-winged Trumpeter Psophia viridis


ARAMIDAE
Limpkin
One species, which is represented in the Zoochat galleries.

*Limpkin Aramus guarauna


GRUIDAE
Cranes
Fifteen species in six genera, all of which are represented in the Zoochat galleries. Note that the family Gruidae was covered in a previous thread and so was not included in this current Gruiformes thread except as a simple list - see The Zoochat Photographic Guide to Cranes.

Subfamily Balearicinae

Balearica
*Black Crowned Crane Balearica pavonina
*Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum

Subfamily Gruinae

Leucogeranus
*Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus

Antigone
*Sandhill Crane Antigone canadensis
*White-naped Crane Antigone vipio
*Sarus Crane Antigone antigone
*Brolga Antigone rubicunda

Bugeranus
(May also be included in Grus)
*Wattled Crane Bugeranus carunculatus

Anthropoides
(May also be included in Grus)
*Blue Crane Anthropoides paradisea
*Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo

Grus
*Red-crowned Crane Grus japonensis
*Whooping Crane Grus americana
*Common Crane Grus grus
*Hooded Crane Grus monacha
*Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis



Suborder RALLI


HELIORNITHIDAE
Sungrebes
Three species in three genera, of which two species are represented in the Zoochat galleries.

*Sungrebe Heliornis fulica
Masked Finfoot Heliopais personatus
*African Finfoot Podica senegalensis


SAROTHRURIDAE
Flufftails
Fifteen species in three genera, one of which is represented in the Zoochat galleries.

Striped Flufftail Sarothrura affinis
White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi
Streaky-breasted Flufftail Sarothrura boehmi
Buff-spotted Flufftail Sarothrura elegans
Madagascan Flufftail Sarothrura insularis
Chestnut-headed Flufftail Sarothrura lugens
White-spotted Flufftail Sarothrura pulchra
Red-chested Flufftail Sarothrura rufa
Slender-billed Flufftail Sarothrura watersi

Tsingy Wood Rail Mentocrex beankaensis
*Madagascan Wood Rail Mentocrex kioloides

Forbes' Forest Rail Rallicula forbesi
White-striped Forest Rail Rallicula leucospila
Mayr's Forest Rail Rallicula mayri
Chestnut Forest Rail Rallicula rubra


APTORNITHIDAE
Adzebills
Two species in a single genus, both of which are now extinct (c.1000 years ago). Depicted as a skeleton because they are known only from subfossil remains.


RALLIDAE
Rails
About 130 extant species in c.37 genera, of which 60 species from c.20 genera are represented in the Zoochat galleries.

"Rallus"

*Rouget's Rail Rougetius rougetii

Grey-throated Rail Canirallus oculeus

Snoring Rail Aramidopsis plateni

*African Crake Crecopsis egregia

*Corncrake Crex crex

*White-throated Rail Dryolimnas cuvieri

*Chestnut Rail Eulabeornis castaneoventris

*Weka Gallirallus australis
Calayan Rail Gallirallus calayanensis
New Britain Rail Gallirallus insignis
*Okinawa Rail Gallirallus okinawae
*Guam Rail Gallirallus owstoni
*Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis
Roviana Rail Gallirallus rovianae
Lord Howe Woodhen Gallirallus sylvestris
*Barred Rail Gallirallus torquatus
Woodford's Rail Gallirallus woodfordi

Drummer Rail Habroptila wallacii

Brown-banded Rail Lewinia mirifica
Auckland Islands Rail Lewinia muelleri
*Lewin's Rail Lewinia pectoralis
Slaty-breasted Rail Lewinia striata

Ecuadorian Rail Rallus aequatorialis
Austral Rail Rallus antarcticus
*Western Water Rail Rallus aquaticus
African Rail Rallus caerulescens
*Clapper Rail Rallus crepitans
*King Rail Rallus elegans
Eastern Water Rail Rallus indicus
*Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
Mangrove Rail Rallus longirostris
Madagascar Rail Rallus madagascariensis
*Ridgway's Rail Rallus obsoletus
Bogota Rail Rallus semiplumbeus
Mexican Rail Rallus tenuirostris
Plain-flanked Rail Rallus wetmorei

"Porphyrio"

*Allen's Gallinule Porphyrio alleni
Azure Gallinule Porphyrio flavirostris
*Takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri
*Black-backed Swamphen Porphyrio indicus
*African Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis
*American Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus
*Australasian Swamphen Porphyrio melanotus
*Grey-headed Swamphen Porphyrio poliocephalus
*Western Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
Philippine Swamphen Porphyrio pulverulentus

"Rallina"

Bare-eyed Rail Gymnocrex plumbeiventris
Blue-faced Rail Gymnocrex rosenbergii
Talaud Rail Gymnocrex talaudensis

Andaman Crake Rallina canningi
Slaty-legged Crake Rallina eurizonoides
*Red-legged Crake Rallina fasciata
Red-necked Crake Rallina tricolor

"Zapornia"

Brown Crake Zapornia akool
Henderson Island Crake Zapornia atra
Black-tailed Crake Zapornia bicolor
*Black Crake Zapornia flavirostra
*Ruddy-breasted Crake Zapornia fusca
Sakalava Rail Zapornia olivieri
*Little Crake Zapornia parva
Band-bellied Crake Zapornia paykullii
*Baillon's Crake Zapornia pusilla
*Spotless Crake Zapornia tabuensis

"Laterallus"

Chestnut-headed Crake Anurolimnas castaneiceps
Black-banded Crake Anurolimnas fasciata
Russet-crowned Crake Anurolimnas viridis

Inaccessible Rail Atlantisia rogersi

Swinhoe's Rail Coturnicops exquisitus
Speckled Rail Coturnicops notatus
Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracensis

Yellow-breasted Crake Hapalocrex flaviventer

*White-throated Crake Laterallus albigularis
Grey-breasted Crake Laterallus exilis
Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis
*Red-and-white Crake Laterallus leucopyrrhus
Rusty-flanked Crake Laterallus levraudi
*Rufous-sided Crake Laterallus melanophaius
*Ruddy Crake Laterallus ruber
Galapagos Rail Laterallus spilonota
Dot-winged Crake Laterallus spiloptera
Rufous-faced Crake Laterallus xenopterus

Ocellated Crake Micropygia schomburgkii

"Gallicrex"

Striped Crake Aenigmatolimnas marginalis

Isabelline Bush-hen Amaurornis isabellina
Talaud Bush-hen Amaurornis magnirostris
*Pale-vented Bush-hen Amaurornis moluccana
Philippine Bush-hen Amaurornis olivacea
*White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus

Watercock Gallicrex cinerea

*White-browed Crake "Amaurornis" cinerea

New Guinea Flightless Rail Megacrex inepta

"Aramides"

Uniform Crake Amaurolimnas concolor

*White-bellied or Russet-naped Wood Rail Aramides albiventris
Plumbeous-backed Wood Rail Aramides avicenniae
*Rufous-necked Wood Rail Aramides axillaris
*Grey-necked Wood Rail Aramides cajaneus
Red-winged Wood Rail Aramides calopterus
Little Wood Rail Aramides mangle
*Slaty-breasted Wood Rail Aramides saracura
Brown Wood Rail Aramides wolfi
*Giant Wood Rail Aramides ypecaha

Zapata Rail Cyanolimnas cerverai

*Ash-throated Crake Mustelirallus albicollis
Colombian Crake Mustelirallus colombiana
Paint-billed Crake Mustelirallus erythrops

*Spotted Rail Pardirallus maculatus
*Blackish Rail Pardirallus nigricans
Plumbeous Rail Pardirallus sanguinolentus

"Himantornis"

Nkulengu Rail Himantornis haematopus

"Fulica"

*Hawaiian Coot Fulica alai
*American Coot Fulica americana
*Andean Coot Fulica ardesiaca
Red-gartered Coot Fulica armillata
*Common or Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
Horned Coot Fulica cornuta
*Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata
*Giant Coot Fulica gigantea
White-winged Coot Fulica leucoptera
Red-fronted Coot Fulica rufifrons

*Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
*Gough Island Moorhen Gallinula comeri
*Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata
*Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa

Lesser Moorhen Paragallinula angulata

Spot-flanked Gallinule Porphyriops melanops

*Sora Porzana carolina
*Australian Crake Porzana fluminea
*Spotted Crake Porzana porzana

*Tasmanian Native Hen Tribonyx mortierii
*Black-tailed Native Hen Tribonyx ventralis
 
Last edited:
Tally of photos used in this thread:


There are currently 66 extant species from 24 genera depicted in this thread (out of about 153 species and 54 genera in total), as well as some extinct species as museum specimens, illustrated by 121 photos in total. These photos were taken by 53 Zoochat members.

Note that the Gruidae (cranes) are not included in the photo tally because that family was covered earlier in a separate thread: The Zoochat Photographic Guide to Cranes .

[I'll keep this post updated whenever new photos are added or changed: latest update 17 July 2025]


One photo:
@alexkant
@BerdNerd
@birdsandbats
@Deer Forest
@d1am0ndback
@Ding Lingwei
@Dr. Wolverine
@eggshelluk
@fofo
@geomorph
@Giant Eland
@Ituri
@Jaguar_X
@JaxElephant
@jayjds2
@jbnbsn99
@Jo Kuyken
@Jurek7
@Kakapo
@Kazaa67
@KCZooFan
@Mehdi
@Mo Hassan
@Moebelle
@Mr Wrinkly
@Nadchew_
@Najade
@RatioTile
@red river hog
@Sicarius
@Simon Hampel
@ThylacineAlive
@toto98
@zooboy28
@ZooGirl101
@Zoological Point
@zoo_sipsik

Two photos:
@gentle lemur
@KevinB
@LaughingDove
@Rizz Carlton
@Tomek

Three photos:
@devilfish
@Lafone
@Nick@Amsterdam
@Terry Thomas

Four photos:
@vogelcommando

Five photos:
@Maguari
@ralph
@WhistlingKite24

Ten photos:
@Therabu

Fifteen photos:
@Hix

Nineteen photos:
@Chlidonias
 
Last edited:
carl the birder said:
i added barred rail to the gallery
Click to expand...
Thanks. While I was trying to find which subspecies is on the Bornean islands (I think it is torquatus from the Philippines) I fortuitously discovered that actually there is already a photo of a Barred Rail in the gallery from three years ago. Not only is there a photo but I had commented on it with an identification! The reason I hadn't found it when making this thread is that the title is just "Selingan Turtle Island" and apparently photo comments don't give search results.

full

Selingan Turtle Island - ZooChat
 
Chlidonias said:
Thanks. While I was trying to find which subspecies is on the Bornean islands (I think it is torquatus from the Philippines) I fortuitously discovered that actually there is already a photo of a Barred Rail in the gallery from three years ago. Not only is there a photo but I had commented on it with an identification! The reason I hadn't found it when making this thread is that the title is just "Selingan Turtle Island" and apparently photo comments don't give search results.

full

Selingan Turtle Island - ZooChat
Click to expand...
yes i also think it shoud be torquatus. as the philippines are really close to selingan
 
I have added in a photo of North Island Weka Gallirallus australis greyi, which completes the full set of Weka subspecies.


And also a brand new species with Spotless Crake Zapornia tabuensis, which brings the number of rails depicted in the thread to 49 species (out of 130 species, which is a pretty good ratio). I put two photos of the crake in the NZ Wildlife gallery - I'll link them both below but I only used the first one in the thread. While the other one is a better photo I think, the one I used shows the bird in a better pose.


full

Spotless Crake (Zapornia tabuensis) - ZooChat

full

Spotless Crake (Zapornia tabuensis) - ZooChat
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top