Henderson Crake

The Tuamotusumpfhuhn (Henderson Rail, Porzana atra, also Nesophylax ater ater Porzana, Porzana murrayi ) is a small flightless Rail, which is endemic to the Henderson Island. The next of kin of the Rail is the Baillon's Crake ( Porzana pusilla ).

Appearance

It is about a third larger than the South Sea Crake ( Porzana tabuensis ), but their rounded wings are the same length as that of the smaller squacco while her tail is even shorter. The number of primaries is eleven to nine and the number of tail springs is reduced to eight. The beak is medium in size. The legs are long and strong. The iris is cardinal red, eyelid vermilion, the beak is black with a greenish color at the base, which continues on the beak top as a short strip. The legs are orange-red, slightly brownish in young animals.

Nutrition

The Tuamotusumpfhuhn searches the leaves on the forest floor for food such as eggs of reptiles, insects and other arthropods and snails. The breeding season extends from July to mid-February, there are often reared two broods during this time. The nest consists of 2-3 eggs. The breeding pair of conspecifics often receives support in the defense of juveniles against crabs and rats. At least 43 percent of the adult birds survive the year and survive at least 0.95 per adult offspring per year until the age of one month.

Habitat

The species is found in both dense and open forests in the island. It is found in forests dominated by Pisonia, in mixed forests of Pisonia and Xylosma in Timonius thickets, in pandanus Thespesia - Argusia forests in bays and coconut groves on the beaches.

The Tuamotusumpfhuhn ( Porzana atra) is only on the Henderson Island prevalent ( endemic), and had in 1987 a population of about 3,200 animals in 1992 there were about 6,200. Since different methods were used in the counts, it's possible that the differences in counting errors go back. However, it is assumed that the population is currently high enough to be stable and the number of animals does not decrease.

Although the Pacific rat (Rattus exulans ) eats eggs and chicks, there is no indication that the rats could pose a serious threat to the bird, as they exist around since the 8th century together on the island. To protect the Tuamotusumpfhuhns ( Porzana atra ), it is nevertheless intended to exterminate the rats.

Swell

• Rail birds