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RAILS, GALLINULES, ALLIES (RALLIDAE; 15+ SPECIES) Worldwide family

of very small to medium-size marsh birds. Can be divided into more skulking rails and crakes,

more conspicuous gallinules and coots, which are often seen swimming. Ages differ, sexes usually

similar; precocial downy young of all species are black and fuzzy; attain adult appearance in 1st

year. Flight can be surprisingly strong, but migrate at night and rarely seen in flight unless flushed.

WHITE-THROATED CRAKE  Laterallus albigularis 14.5–15.5cm. Common­

est small crake in Costa Rica, often heard but rarely seen. Varied grassy and

marshy habitats from damp fields and roadsides ditches to extensive wetlands

with taller reeds, lakeshores, mangrove edge. Mostly skulking and difficult to

see; sometimes comes out at edges, when can be confiding. Distinctive, with

bright ruddy neck and breast, barred flanks. Juv. duller overall, with little or no

ruddy plumage, cf. Gray-breasted Crake. Comprises 2 groups that may

represent species: Gray-headed Crake L. [a.] cinereiceps of Caribbean slope,

with gray head; Rusty-faced Crake L. [a.] albigularis of Pacific slope, with rusty

face, brownish crown. SOUNDS: Gray-headed contact call a slightly descending

churring trill, typically preceded by hesitant piping notes audible at close range,

whiit, whiit...urrrrrrrr..., mainly 2–6 secs; also prolonged series up to 30 secs,

with vaguely rising and falling cadence, cf. Least Grebe. Song (?) a sharp,

clipped tchip! singly or in slow pairs, every few secs, may recall Yellow Warbler.

Rusty-faced trills average slightly faster-paced, drier, and gruffer. Song (?) a

sharp smacking tchik, singly or in slow pairs, slightly lower, more smacking than

Gray-headed, may recall Common Tody-Flycatcher. STATUS: Fairly common to

common on both slopes, especially Caribbean lowlands; to 1500m. (Honduras

to nw. S America.)

GRAY-BREASTED CRAKE  Laterallus exilis 14.5–15.5cm. Varied grassy and

marshy habitats from extensive wetlands with taller reeds to overgrown weedy

fields, roadside ditches; often in same areas as much commoner White-throated

Crake. Skulking and difficult to see; may approach within a few feet but be

hidden like a mouse, even in short vegetation; rarely flies. Note lime-green base

to bill, rusty hindneck contrasting with gray head and breast, barred flanks. Juv.

duller with little or no rusty on hindneck. SOUNDS: Song a fairly rapid series of

(usually 2–9) high piping notes, often with a soft introductory note audible at

close range: tik, dee-dee..., every 2–5 secs; easily passed off as a frog. Churring

contact trills similar to White-throated Crake but harsher, drier, more rattling, often shorter. STATUS: Scarce

to locally common on both slopes, mainly below 1000m. (Mexico to S America.)

YELLOW-BREASTED CRAKE  Laterallus (Hapalocrex) flaviventer 12.5–13.5cm.

Freshwater marshes with reeds, emergent and floating vegetation, from small

ponds to large wetlands. Typically retiring, but locally may feed at edges,

walking on floating vegetation. Flushes silently from underfoot, legs dangling,

and flies a short distance back to cover. Distinctive, with striped face, buffy

breast, bold tawny back striping. SOUNDS: Song a plaintive, slightly metallic,

2-note whistled phrase, chieh-dii, every 1.5–5 secs, including at night; less often

a single chieh. Quiet short rattle, chrrrt, when agitated may run into series of

gruff rasping scold notes, zzheh-zzheh.…STATUS:  Scarce to fairly common

locally on both slopes. (Mexico to S America.)

OCELLATED CRAKE  Micropygia schomburgkii 14–15cm. Poorly known and

rarely seen small crake of dense grassland and savanna with scattered shrubs;

often in relatively dry areas, not marshes. Skulking and elusive; rarely flies unless

virtually stepped on. Distinctive if you are lucky enough to see it, with black-

edged white spots on upperparts, rich buffy face and breast; also note red eyes,

dark bill, bright reddish legs. SOUNDS: Song (often at night) a drawn-out, slurred

raspy buzz, about 1 sec, every 1–2 secs; sometimes varied to slightly pulsating

series of shorter rasping notes; quality may suggest a low, slow-paced fishing reel

unspooling. STATUS: Scarce to fairly common but local in interior valleys of s.

Pacific slope, mainly around Buenos Aires. (Costa Rica to S America.)

Gray-headed

Rust-faced