Justification This poorly known rail is estimated to have a small, declining population as a result of loss and fragmentation of wetlands in its breeding and wintering ranges. It therefore qualifies as Vulnerable.

Family/Sub-family Rallidae

Species name author (Swinhoe, 1873)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 13 cm. Tiny, compact, buffish rail. Blackish top of head and upperparts. Conspicuous cinnamon stripes and thin white bars from mantle to tail. Greyish-brown face. White underparts with tawny-ochre barring on foreneck, upper breast, flanks and undertail-coverts. White secondaries. Similar spp. White secondaries and white barring on upperparts separate it from all sympatric rails.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

decreasing

152,000 km²

No

Range & population Coturnicops exquisitus is known to breed at a handful of sites in south-east Russia and north-east China with recent reports of possible breeding in Aomora Prefecture, Japan¹. It has been recorded on passage and in winter in Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan (including the Nansei Shoto Islands) and southern and eastern China. Its breeding and wintering ranges are inadequately known and it is probably very rare and declining. It is considered to be uncommon in mainland China, although surveys at Poyang Hu lake, Jiangxi, in the early 1980s, recorded 5-30 birds per km².

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: Its ecology is poorly known. It has been recorded from wet, grassy meadows and tussock-swamps in the lowlands, reed-swamps, grassy swamps near rivers, rice-fields and around streams and pools with thick cover.

Threats The main population stress is thought to be destruction and modification of wetlands in both its breeding and wintering ranges owing to a number of threatening processes. Habitat in south-east Russia, is being reduced as a result of drainage and ploughing for conversion of wetlands to agriculture. In China, the Zhalong National Nature Reserve is threatened by agricultural encroachment, reed-harvesting, hunting and water extraction for agriculture. The Poyang Hu Nature Reserve is threatened by vegetation cutting, reclamation for agriculture, construction of the Three Gorges Dam and illegal hunting. The over-use of pesticides may affect it.

Conservation measures underway It is legally protected in China, South Korea and Japan. It occurs in a number of protected areas including Khanakiski (Khanka) and Khinganski State Reserves (Russia), Mongol Daguur Nature Reserve (single record) (Mongolia), and Xingkai Hu (Lake Khanka), Zhalong National Nature Reserve and Poyang Hu Nature Reserve (China).

Conservation measures proposed Survey its potential breeding range in Russia and north-east China to identify its population size and distribution. As a result of surveys, identify key areas and recommend protection where necessary. Survey and monitor key non-breeding sites including at Poyang lake and other large wetlands in the Yangtze valley. Research its ecological requirements and identify key threats. Improve protection of its habitat in Russia and in protected areas in China, as well as on the wintering grounds.

References BirdLife International (2001). 1. S. Chan in litt. (2003).

Further web sources of information

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Mike Crosby (BirdLife International), Nic Peet (BirdLife International)

Contributors Simba Chan (Wild Bird Society of Japan)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Mike Crosby (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Coturnicops exquisitus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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