List of Birds of French Guiana - Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, and Coots

Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, and Coots

Order: Gruiformes. Family: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 15 species which have been recorded in French Guiana.

• Ocellated Crake Micropygia schomburgkii
• Russet-crowned Crake Anurolimnas viridis
• Rufous-sided Crake Laterallus melanophaius (A)
• Gray-breasted Crake Laterallus exilis
• Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris
• Rufous-necked Wood-Rail Aramides axillaris
• Gray-necked Wood-Rail Aramides cajanea
• Uniform Crake Amaurolimnas concolor (A)
• Ash-throated Crake Porzana albicollis
• Yellow-breasted Crake Porzana flaviventer
• Paint-billed Crake Neocrex erythrops (A)
• Spotted Rail Pardirallus maculatus (A)
• Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica
• Azure Gallinule Porphyrio flavirostris
• Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata