Malaysian Rail-babbler
Encyclopedia
The Rail-babbler or Malaysian Rail-babbler (Eupetes macrocerus) is a strange, rail-like, brown and pied inhabitant of the floor of primary forest in the Malay Peninsula
and Sumatra
(the nominate subspecies macrocerus), as well as Borneo
(ssp. borneensis), distantly related to Africa
n crow
-like bird
s. Its population has greatly decreased because much of the lowland primary forest has been cut, and secondary forest
s usually have too dense a bottom vegetation or do not offer enough shade to be favourable for the species. However, it is locally still common in logged forest or on hill-forest on slopes, and probably not in immediate danger of extinction. The species is poorly known and rarely seen, in no small part due to its shyness.
family, Timaliidae. Until recently, it had been regarded as being related to a group which included the quail-thrush
es and whipbirds, and placed in the family Cinclosomatidae
(previously in Orthonychidae
when the members of the Cinclosomatidae were regarded as belonging with the logrunners).
However, Serle (1952) had pointed out a number of similarities between this species and the two species of rockfowl (Picathartes): similar proportions, the position of the nostrils, the shape of the forehead, and that of the tail. Based on molecular studies, Jønsson et al. (2007) argues that this is closer to the correct position for this species; the rail-babbler is most closely related to the rockjumpers, another early branch of the oscine passerines. As such, it is more correctly placed in a monotypic
family, Eupetidae. This is one of only three bird families restricted to the Oriental zoogeographical region.
is mainly brown with a more reddish forehead, crown and throat. It has a long, black eyestripe extending from the bill to the side of the neck and a broad, white supercilium
above it. There is a strip of bare, blue skin on the side of the neck which can be seen when the bird calls. Juvenile birds are similar to the adult but have duller head stripes, a whitish throat and greyer belly.
It has a long, monotonous whistling call. When agitated, it gives a series of frog-like notes.
in southern Thailand
and Peninsular Malaysia and in the Greater Sundas on Sumatra
, Borneo
and the Natuna Islands
. It mainly occurs in tall, lowland forests and also in swamps and heath forest
. It sometimes occurs in lower montane forests up to about 1060 m (3,477.7 ft) in Peninsular Malaysia and 900 m (2,952.8 ft) in Sumatra and Borneo. It is believed to be declining due to loss and degradation of the forest and is classed as Near-threatened.
Little is known about its breeding habits. The eggs are laid around January and February and fledgeling have been seen in June. The nest
hes been described as being placed near the ground on a pile of dead leaves among the stalks of a plant around 30 cm (11.8 in) from the ground. It is made of plant fibres and is a cup shape. The clutch is two white unmarked eggs, nothing else is know.
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
(the nominate subspecies macrocerus), as well as Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
(ssp. borneensis), distantly related to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
-like bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s. Its population has greatly decreased because much of the lowland primary forest has been cut, and secondary forest
Secondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
s usually have too dense a bottom vegetation or do not offer enough shade to be favourable for the species. However, it is locally still common in logged forest or on hill-forest on slopes, and probably not in immediate danger of extinction. The species is poorly known and rarely seen, in no small part due to its shyness.
Taxonomy
Opinions on the correct taxonomic placement for the rail-babbler have differed. At one time, it was placed in the Old World babblerOld World babbler
The Old World babblers or timaliids are a large family of mostly Old World passerine birds. They are rather diverse in size and coloration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent...
family, Timaliidae. Until recently, it had been regarded as being related to a group which included the quail-thrush
Quail-thrush
Quail-thrush is the term applied to any member of the genus Cinclosoma, which contains five species of birds who are related to neither quails nor thrushes though have characteristics of both. The genus is found in Australia and New Guinea in a variety of habitats ranging from rainforest to deserts...
es and whipbirds, and placed in the family Cinclosomatidae
Cinclosomatidae
Cinclosomatidae is a family of passerine birds native to Australia and nearby areas. It has a complicated taxonomic history and different authors vary in which birds they include in the family. It includes at least the quail-thrushes , 5 species of ground-dwelling birds found in Australia and New...
(previously in Orthonychidae
Orthonychidae
The Orthonychidae is a family of birds with a single genus, Orthonyx, which comprises three species of passerine birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea, the Logrunners and the Chowchilla. Some authorities consider the Australian family Cinclosomatidae to be part of the Orthonychidae...
when the members of the Cinclosomatidae were regarded as belonging with the logrunners).
However, Serle (1952) had pointed out a number of similarities between this species and the two species of rockfowl (Picathartes): similar proportions, the position of the nostrils, the shape of the forehead, and that of the tail. Based on molecular studies, Jønsson et al. (2007) argues that this is closer to the correct position for this species; the rail-babbler is most closely related to the rockjumpers, another early branch of the oscine passerines. As such, it is more correctly placed in a monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
family, Eupetidae. This is one of only three bird families restricted to the Oriental zoogeographical region.
Description
It is a medium sized, fairly slender songbird, about 28 to 30 cm (11 to 11.8 in) in length, and weighing 66 to 72 g (2.3 to 2.5 oz). It has a long thin neck, long black bill, long legs and a long tail. The plumagePlumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is mainly brown with a more reddish forehead, crown and throat. It has a long, black eyestripe extending from the bill to the side of the neck and a broad, white supercilium
Supercilium
The supercilium is a plumage feature found on the heads of some bird species. It is a stripe which runs from the base of the bird's beak above its eye, finishing somewhere towards the rear of the bird's head. Also known as an "eyebrow", it is distinct from the eyestripe, which is a line which runs...
above it. There is a strip of bare, blue skin on the side of the neck which can be seen when the bird calls. Juvenile birds are similar to the adult but have duller head stripes, a whitish throat and greyer belly.
It has a long, monotonous whistling call. When agitated, it gives a series of frog-like notes.
Distribution and habitat
It is found on the Malay PeninsulaMalay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
in southern Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Peninsular Malaysia and in the Greater Sundas on Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
and the Natuna Islands
Natuna Islands
The Natuna Islands archipelago is located in the Natuna Sea in the larger Tudjuh Archipelago, off the northwest coast of Borneo. The islands are administratively part of the Riau Islands province of Indonesia and are the northernmost non-disputed island group of Indonesia...
. It mainly occurs in tall, lowland forests and also in swamps and heath forest
Heath forest
Heath forest is a type of tropical moist forest found in areas with acidic, sandy soils that are extremely nutrient-poor. Notable examples are the Rio Negro campinarana of the Amazon Basin in South America, and the Sundaland heath forests of Borneo and neighboring islands.-External links:**...
. It sometimes occurs in lower montane forests up to about 1060 m (3,477.7 ft) in Peninsular Malaysia and 900 m (2,952.8 ft) in Sumatra and Borneo. It is believed to be declining due to loss and degradation of the forest and is classed as Near-threatened.
Behaviour
It is a shy and secretive bird, which lives on the forest floor. It walks like a rail, jerking its head in the manner of a chicken, and it prefers to run rather than fly when disturbed. It feeds mainly on insects, including cicadas, and beetles; spiders and worms. When feeding it will dash after prey items.Little is known about its breeding habits. The eggs are laid around January and February and fledgeling have been seen in June. The nest
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
hes been described as being placed near the ground on a pile of dead leaves among the stalks of a plant around 30 cm (11.8 in) from the ground. It is made of plant fibres and is a cup shape. The clutch is two white unmarked eggs, nothing else is know.