| Brown-banded rail | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
 Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Gruiformes |
| Family: | Rallidae |
| Genus: | Lewinia |
| Species: | L. mirifica |
| Binomial name | |
| Lewinia mirifica (Parkes & Amadon, 1959) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Lewinia mirificus (Parkes & Amadon, 1959) Rallus mirificus mirificus Collar & Andrew, 1988) | |
The brown-banded rail (Lewinia mirifica) is a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found on the island of Luzon. Details about its life and breeding are not known. Its habitat is listed to be cloudforest, near pine forest and undisturbed river swamp and is found at 500–2,250 meters. It is largely known from migration records of 200 sightings from 1965 to 1970 at Dalton Pass so it is thought to be migratory. The most recent sighting was in 2012 and the call is described as "frog-like accelerating series of clicking notes". The threats are not exactly known but it has been and is continuing to be hunted at Dalton Pass.
Description and taxonomy
EBird describes the bird as "A mysterious medium-sized rail, possibly of foothill or montane grassy areas and forests. Dark brown above with a pale gray chest, a whitish throat, a barred belly, blackish legs, and a fairly long, curved reddish bill. Little known in life and mainly seen at a banding station, suggesting local migration. Similar to Slaty-breasted and Buff-banded Rails, but Luzon has a fairly unpatterned back, a longer, thinner bill, and no rufous on the head. Voice little known, although when distressed, gives a sharp “kwik!” and various squeals.
This species is monotypic.
Ecology and behavior
Nothing is directly known about this bird as it is mostly observed when it is trapped or mist netted in Dalton Pass. It is believed to have the same feeding habits as Lewin's rail which feeds on earthworms, arthorpods, frogs and some vegetable matter.
Habitat and conservation status
Its precise habitat is unknown but is typically recorded in wet grassy areas. Most records are of migrating birds passing through Dalton Pass at 1,000 meters above sea level but records up to 2,690 have also been found.
IUCN has assessed this bird as Data deficient but was formerly listed as Endangered. This bird was last seen in Mt Pinatubo in 2012 and its true range is still unknown. This bird is caught by trappers along with various other rails and migratory birds.
References
- BirdLife International (2017). "Lewinia mirifica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22692509A110057886. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22692509A110057886.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- Erik Hirschfeld; Andy Swash; Robert Still (2013). The World's Rarest Birds. Princeton University Press. p. 325. ISBN 978-0691155968. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
- "Luzon Rail - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- Taylor, Barry; Sharpe, Christopher J. (2020). "Luzon Rail (Lewinia mirifica), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.luzrai1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
- IUCN (2022-07-06). Lewinia mirifica: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T22692509A218696778 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2022-2.rlts.t22692509a218696778.en.
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