Aramides saracura

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Ordo: Gruiformes

Familia: Rallidae
Genus: Aramides
Species: Aramides saracura
Name

Aramides saracura (Spix, 1825)

original combination: Gallinula saracura

Synonyms

Eulabeornis saracura

References

Spix, J.B. von 1825. Avium species novae, quas in itinere per Brasiliam annis MDCCCXVII-MDCCCXX jussu et auspiciis Maximiliani Josephi I. Bavariae regis. Suscepto. Collegit et descripsit Dr. J. B. de Spix. Tomus 2. 85 pp. + 115 tt. Illustrations: Matthias Schmidt. Ed. Typis Franc. Seraph. Hübschmanni. Monachii. DOI: 10.5962/bhl.title.63182 p. 75 BHL Reference page. pl. 98 BHL

Vernacular names
English: Slaty-breasted Wood-rail
español: Cotara saracura
português do Brasil: Saracura-três-potes
português: Saracura-do-brejo

The slaty-breasted wood rail (Aramides saracura) is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.[2][3]

Taxonomy and systematics

The slaty-breasted wood rail is monotypic.[2]
Description

The slaty-breasted wood rail is 34 to 37 cm (13 to 15 in) long; one male weighed 540 g (19 oz). The sexes are alike. Adults have a green bill with a bluish base, a red eye, and reddish- to yellowish brown legs and feet. Most of their head and their throat, breast, and belly are slate gray. Their nape and shoulders are chestnut, their back olive, and their tail black. Immatures and juveniles have not been descibed.[4]
Distribution and habitat

The slaty-breasted wood rail is found in southeastern Brazil from southern Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo south and west into eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. It generally inhabits somewhat wet forest and woodland, often in swampy areas or along streams, but usually avoids open marshes.[4]
Behavior
Movement

The slaty-breasted wood rail appears to be a year-round resident throughout its range.[4]
Feeding

With the exception of an observation of a slaty-breasted wood rail feeding on a dead bird, nothing is known about the species' foraging methods or diet.[4]
Breeding

The slaty-breasted wood rail's breeding season has not been fully defined but appears to include at least November to February. One nest is known; it was in a thick bush and held four or five eggs. Nothing else is known about the species' breeding biology.[4]

Dickcissel male perched on a metal pole singing, with neck stretched and beak open.

Songs and calls
Listen to slaty-breasted wood rail on xeno-canto
Vocalization

The slaty-breasted rail mostly calls during the day. It makes a "[v]ariety of loud, resounding, noisy cries, including 'po-quit kwaa kwaa kwaa', 'po-peek' and 'po-pereek'", often for many minutes and usually in a duet. Another vocalization is "an irritated, rapidly repeated series of 'quir' notes".[4]
Status

The IUCN has assessed the slaty-breasted wood rail as being of Least Concern. It has a large range, but its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] Its status in most of its range is uncertain. "Because of this, and because nothing is known of its natural history, [the] species should probably be classified as a Data Deficient species."[4]
References

BirdLife International (2016). "Slaty-breasted Wood-rail Aramides saracura". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22692591A93360317. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692591A93360317.en. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (August 2022). "Finfoots, flufftails, rails, trumpeters, cranes, Limpkin". IOC World Bird List. v 12.2. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6_Dec21.zip retrieved August 7, 2022
Taylor, B. and A. Bonan (2020). Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail (Aramides saracura), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.sbwrai1.01 retrieved October 15, 2022