Okinawa Rail
Gallirallus okinawae
The Okinawa Rail (Gallirallus okinawae) is a rare rails, gallinules, and coot found only in Japan, weighing about 433 g. The Okinawa rail is a species of bird in the rail family, Rallidae.
About the Okinawa Rail
The Okinawa rail is a species of bird in the rail family, Rallidae. It is endemic to Okinawa Island in Japan where it is known as the Yanbaru kuina . Its existence was only confirmed in 1978 and it was formally described in 1981 although unidentified rails had been recorded on the island since at least 1973 and local stories of a bird known as the agachi kumira may refer to this species. The species was formerly placed in the genus Hypotaenidia.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
It is about 30 cm long with a wingspan of 50 cm and a weight of around 435 g. It is almost flightless and has very short wings and tail. The bill is large and bright red with a whitish tip. The long, strong legs are red as are the iris and eye-ring. The upperparts are olive-brown while the underparts are black with narrow white bars. The face is black with a white spot between the bill and eye and a white line behind the eye, extending back to the side of the neck. The undertail-coverts are dark brown with pale bars.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, November, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Okinawa Rail?
- It is about 30 cm long with a wingspan of 50 cm and a weight of around 435 g. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Okinawa Rail?
- The Okinawa Rail is a large sized bird weighing about 433 g.
- Where can you see an Okinawa Rail?
- The Okinawa Rail is endemic to Japan, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to an Okinawa Rail?
- The Okinawa Rail is most easily confused with the Chestnut Rail, the Woodford's Rail and the Pink-legged Rail.
- Is the Okinawa Rail endangered?
- The Okinawa Rail is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Okinawa Rail for real
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