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Plain-flanked rail
Conservation status
	; Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Gruiformes
Family:	Rallidae
Genus:	Rallus
Species:	R. wetmorei
Binomial name
	Rallus wetmorei; Zimmer & Phelps, 1944

The plain-flanked rail (Rallus wetmorei) is an Endangered species of bird in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is endemic to Venezuela.^[2]^[3]

Taxonomy and systematics

The plain-flanked rail has been suggested to be conspecific with the mangrove rail (R. longirostris) but this treatment has not been accepted by major taxonomic systems because the two do not interbreed where their ranges overlap. The plain-flanked rail is monotypic.^[2]^[4]

Description

The plain-flanked rail is about 33 cm (13 in) long. It has a brown bill. The sexes are alike. Adults have dull gray-brown upperparts with darker centers to the feathers. They have a white loral streak on their gray-brown face and a whitish throat. Their underparts are brown with no barring.^[5]

Distribution and habitat

The plain-flanked rail is known from only a few locations on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela between eastern Falcón and western Aragua states. It primarily inhabits coastal mangroves and has also been found in emergent vegetation of brackish and saltwater lagoons and marshes.^[5]

Behavior

Movement

The plain-flanked rail is apparently sedentary.^[5]

Feeding

Nothing is known about the plain-flanked rail's foraging behavior or diet. Both are assumed to be similar to those of the mangrove rail, which inhabits similar landscapes. That species has a very diverse diet that includes animal prey such as crustaceans (especially crabs and crayfish), molluscs, leeches, aquatic and terrestrial insects, fish, and amphibians. It also feeds on plant matter such as seeds, berries, and tubers, especially in winter.^[5]^[6]

Breeding

The plain-flanked rail's breeding season is not known in detail but includes both April and May. A few nests have been discovered; they were platforms of twigs and leaves placed on mangrove roots or in mangrove trees. Clutch sizes of four to seven eggs have been noted. Both members of a pair incubate the eggs. The incubation period and time to fledging are not known.^[5]

Songs and calls

Listen to plain-flanked rail on xeno-canto

Vocalization

The plain-flanked rail's "advertising call" is "a series of loud, rapid 'kek-kek-kek...kek-kek-kek' notes" that are given in duet and preceded by "soft growling 'grrrrr' calls". Courting males make "a series of evenly spaced harsh 'kek' notes". The species also makes a grunting call.^[5]

Status

The IUCN originally assessed the plain-flanked rail in 1988 as Threatened; from 1994 it has been classed as Endangered. It has a very small range and an estimated population of 50 to 200 mature individuals that is believed to be decreasing. Its mangrove habitat continues to be destroyed by development for tourism and what remains is also threatened by domestic and industrial pollution.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b BirdLife International (2016). "Plain-flanked Rail Rallus wetmorei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22692476A93355035. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692476A93355035.en. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
^ ^a ^b Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (August 2022). "Finfoots, flufftails, rails, trumpeters, cranes, Limpkin". IOC World Bird List. v 12.2. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
^ HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6_Dec21.zip retrieved August 7, 2022
^ Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 July 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved July 24, 2022
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Taylor, B., P. F. D. Boesman, C. J. Sharpe, and E. de Juana (2020). Plain-flanked Rail (Rallus wetmorei), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.plfrai1.01 retrieved November 22, 2022
^ Taylor, B. and D. A. Christie (2020). Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.manrai1.01 retrieved November 22, 2022