White-winged Flufftail (Sarothrura ayresi) | ID and Facts

CRCritically EndangeredEndemicOmnivore

GrasslandDomed nestSmall · 32 g

ID tip

Its scientific name honours South African ornithologist Thomas Ayres, who discovered it at Potchefstroom. It resembles its relatives in the Flufftail genus, but both sexes have dull plumage and dark crowns. In flight both sexes also show distinctive white secondary feathers, a feature shared only with the related genus Coturnicops. Non-breeding birds call only at dawn and dusk, sometimes in duet. All those in the Flufftail genus are native to Africa, however, none are more endangered than the White-winged Flufftail.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the White-winged Flufftail

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 4 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is February, the month with the most records.

About the White-winged Flufftail

The white-winged flufftail is a very rare African bird in the family Sarothruridae. The estimated global population size of white-winged flufftails is less than 250 adults. These birds reside in Ethiopia and South Africa but it is unknown whether these populations are one large or two different populations.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Chestnut-headed FlufftailSarothrura lugensThe chestnut-headed flufftail is a species of bird in the family Sarothruridae. Slender-billed FlufftailSarothrura watersiThe slender-billed flufftail is a species of bird in the family Sarothruridae. Streaky-breasted FlufftailSarothrura boehmiThe streaky-breasted flufftail is a species of bird in the family Sarothruridae.

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