From Opus

Photo by Charlie M

Gallirallus philippensis

[edit] Identification

Brown upperparts, banded black and white underparts, white eyebrow, chestnut nape band, buff breast band.

[edit] Distribution

Ranges very widely from the Indian Ocean to many island groups in the Pacific as well as to Australia and New Zealand.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies¹

• G. p. andrewsi - Cocos Islands (Bay of Bengal)
• G. p. philippensis - Philippine Islands
• G. p. pelewensis - Palau Is. (w Caroline Islands)
• G. p. xerophilus - Gunungapi I. (Banda Sea)
• G. p. wilkinsoni - Flores I. (Lesser Sundas)
• G. p. lacustris - N New Guinea
• G. p. reductus - Central highlands, coastal ne New Guinea and Long I.
• G. p. anachoretae - Anchorite Is. (Admiralty Islands)
• G. p. admiralitatis - Admiralty Islands
• G. p. praedo - Skoki I. (Admiralty Islands)
• G. p. lesouefi - Bismarck Arch. (New Hanover, New Ireland, Tabar and Tanga)
• G. p. meyeri - Bismarck Archipelago (Witu Islands and New Britain)
• G. p. christophori - Solomon Islands
• G. p. mellori - S New Guinea, Australia and Norfolk I.
• G. p. assimilis - New Zealand
• G. p. tounelierie - Coral Sea islets (se New Guinea to n New Caledonia)
• G. p. swindellsi - New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands
• G. p. sethsmithi - Fiji Islands and Vanuatu
• G. p. ecaudatus - Tonga Islands
• G. p. goodsoni - Samoa Islands and Niue I.
• G. p. macquariensis - Macquarie I. (Extinct)

[edit] Habitat

Moist vegetation in wetlands.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes invertebrates, small vertebrates, seeds, fruit, carrion and refuse.

It nests in dense grassy or reddy vegetation close to water; 5-8 eggs are laid.

[edit] References

1. Clements James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019'

Wikipedia

[edit] External Links