From Opus

Gallirallus okinawae

Photo by DaninJapan
Location: Ada, Kunigami-Son, Okinawa, Japan, May 2009

Photo by noisi
Artwork by noisi

[edit] Identification

30cm. Medium-sized, nearly flightless, short-tail, long, strong legs. Dark olive-brown upperparts. Black sides of head and underparts, barred with white from lower neck to undertail-coverts. White loral spot and line from rear base of eye down side of neck. Red bill and legs. Juvenile has paler upperparts with mottled white underparts.

[edit] Distribution

Only found on the far northern portion of Okinawa Island, Japan, where it is endangered.

[edit] Taxonomy

A monotypic species.

[edit] Habitat

Forest, often with a dense undergrowth of ferns, near to streams, pools or reservoirs and cultivated areas close to forest.

[edit] Behaviour

It is almost flightless and feeds on the forest floor, and occasionally in shallow water; the diet includes invertebrates and lizards.

Nests are made on the ground during the breeding season, from May-July, and 2-3 eggs are laid.

[edit] External Links