The Buff-banded Rail is a medium-sized stout rail with short legs. It has a distinctive grey eyebrow and an orange-brown band on its streaked breast. The lores, cheek and hindneck are rich chestnut. The chin and throat are grey, the upperparts streaked brown and the underparts barred black and white. The eye is red. Young birds are much paler to white underneath, with indistinct bars and only a faint orange-brown tint on the breast. Downy chicks are fluffy black. This rail walks slowly, with tail raised and flicking constantly. Voice: Loud creaky squeak when breeding but usually silent.
Not Threatened.
The Buff-banded Rail is a medium-sized stout rail with short legs. It has a distinctive grey eyebrow and an orange-brown band on its streaked breast. The lores, cheek and hindneck are rich chestnut. The chin and throat are grey, the upperparts streaked brown and the underparts barred black and white. The eye is red. Young birds are much paler to white underneath, with indistinct bars and only a faint orange-brown tint on the breast. Downy chicks are fluffy black. This rail walks slowly, with tail raised and flicking constantly. Voice: Loud creaky squeak when breeding but usually silent.
28-33 cm, 130g.
Taxonomy:
- Rallus philippensis Linnaeus,1766. Philippines.Sometimes placed in Rallus. Forms superspecies with G. owstoni, and perhaps with G. rovianae; probably also with extinct G. wakensis, G. pacificus, G. dieffenbachii and G. modestus. Great geographical variation, with up to 26 subspecies recognized; validity of some racial distinctions, e.g. tounelierie, questionable in view of individual plumage variation, minor sexual size differences, and changes due to age and wear; possible race wahgiensis included in reductus; randi, norfolkensis, australis and some yorki in mellori; other yorki in tounelierie. Extinct form dieffenbachii sometimes included as race, but now generally considered specifically distinct. Race macquariensis of Macquarie I recently extinct. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution:
- * andrewsi (Mathews, 1911) - Cocos (Keeling) Is. * philippensis (Linnaeus, 1766) - Philippines; Sulawesi E to Buru; Sumba (race?), Alor, Sawu, Roti and Timor. * pelewensis (Mayr, 1933) - Palau Is. * xerophilus (van Bemmel & Hoogerwerf, 1941) - Gunungapi (Lesser Sundas). * wilkinsoni (Mathews, 1911) - Flores. *lacustris (Mayr, 1938) - N New Guinea. * reductus (Mayr, 1938) - C highlands and NE coastal New Guinea, including Long I. * anachoretae (Mayr, 1949) - Kaniet (Anchorite) Is, NW of Ninigo Is. * admiralitatis (Stresemann, 1929) - Admiralty Is. * praedo (Mayr, 1949) - Skoki (Admiralty Is). * lesouefi (Mathews, 1911) - New Hanover, Tabar and Tanga Is, and possibly New Ireland (Bismarck Archipelago). * meyeri (Hartert, 1930) - New Britain and Witu Is (Bismarck Archipelago). * christophori (Mayr, 1938) - Solomon Is. * mellori (Mathews, 1912) - S & SW New Guinea, Australia and Norfolk I. * assimilis (G. R. Gray, 1843) - New Zealand. * tounelierie Schodde & de Naurois, 1982 - Coral Sea islets, from SE New Guinea archipelagos and Great Barrier Reef E to Surprise group (off N New Caledonia). * swindellsi (Mathews, 1911) - New Caledonia and Loyalty Is. * sethsmithi (Mathews, 1911) - Vanuatu and Fiji. * ecaudatus (J. F. Miller, 1783) - Tonga. * goodsoni (Mathews, 1911) - Samoa and Niue I.
It is seen singly or in pairs in dense reeds and vegetation bordering many types of wetlands or crops. It makes widespread use of artificial wetlands like sewage ponds and drainage channels.
Feeds on crustaceans, molluscs, insects, seeds, fruit, frogs, carrion and refuse. It mostly feeds early in the morning and the evening.
Breeding is poorly known, but the Buff-breasted Rail nests in long grass, tussocks, rushes or crops. It makes an unlined cup-shaped nest of grasses or reeds. Both parents incubate and the young will leave the nest within 24 hours. Both parents remain with the young, which usually feed themselves, though the female may feed them as well. Two broods may be raised in some seasons. Breeding season: September to February Clutch size: Five to eight Incubation: 19 days Time in nest: 1 day