Coturnicops exquisitus
The Swinhoe's Rail, *Coturnicops exquisitus*, is an exquisitely small and exceptionally secretive member of the rail family, Rallidae, often considered a 'holy grail' for birders across its East Asian range. Measuring a mere 13 cm (5.1 in) in length with a wingspan of approximately 20-22 cm and weighing 30-40 g, it is one of the smallest rails in the world. Its cryptic plumage features dark brown upperparts heavily streaked with white, contrasting with a dark cap and a prominent white superci...
This elusive rail inhabits dense, wet grasslands, marshes, and rice paddies, often favoring areas with shallow standing water or saturated soil, typically at lowland elevations.
Its diet primarily consists of small invertebrates, including insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and larvae, supplemented by the seeds of wetland plants. It forages by gleaning from vegetation and probing in soft mud.
Swinhoe's Rail exhibits primarily crepuscular and nocturnal activity, spending its days hidden deep within dense vegetation, rarely venturing into the open. Its foraging strategy involves slow, deliberate movements through cover, gleaning insects and seeds from plant stalks and probing soft mud o...
Swinhoe's Rail is a migratory species with a distinct breeding and wintering range across East and Southeast Asia. Its breeding grounds are concentrated in Northeast Asia, primarily within the Amurland region of Russia (Siberia), and in northeastern China, particularly Heilongjiang Province, with...
Vulnerable
- Swinhoe's Rail is one of the smallest members of the rail family worldwide, making it particularly difficult to spot. - Birders often refer to it as a "phantom bird" or "holy grail" due to its extreme elusiveness and cryptic nature. - Its distinctive, rhythmic call, typically heard at dusk or n...