Justification This poorly known species is believed to be declining at a moderately rapid rate and consequently it is classified as Near Threatened.

Family/Sub-family Rallidae

Species name author (Gmelin, 1789)

Taxonomic source(s) Fjeldså (1983)

Taxonomic note Laterallus jamaicensis (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into L. jamaicensis and L. tuerosi following Fjeldså (1983), contra SACC (2005), pending the outcome of investigation into the taxonomy of this group by SACC.

Identification

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

35,000 - 110,000

decreasing

542,000 km²

No

Range & population Laterallus jamaicensis is widespread, but very local, in fresh and saline marshes, wet meadows and savanna in North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. The nominate race occurs on the east coast of USA, with sporadic records inland to Colorado and Minnesota (but no confirmed nesting since 1932). It is very local in north-east Mexico, Belize, Guatemala (only in 1903), Costa Rica, Panama (only in 1963), with an unconfirmed report from Honduras. It is locally rare in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, but mainly a winter visitor on Jamaica and Cuba. It was probably extirpated as a breeder from Puerto Rico (to USA) by introduced mongooses, and is now extremely rare in winter. It is recorded as a non-breeder in the Virgin Islands (to USA). There is one recent record from north Brazil. The race coturniculus is very local in south-west USA, irregularly to north-west Mexico (one recent record). The race murivagans occurs at few coastal marshes in central Peru. The race salinasi is rare and local in south Peru to central Chile and adjacent parts of west-central Argentina. It may occur (doubtful race pygmaeus) in the Colombian East Andes. In USA, most populations declined drastically in the 20th century, and the breeding range seriously contracted.

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

Ecology: It inhabits fresh and saline marshes, wet meadows and savanna. It occupies marshes with shallower water than other rallids and requires some tall vegetation to escape into. Feeds on terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates.

Threats Continued massive degradation of wetlands habitats give cause for concern. In parts of its range it is threatened by pollution, drought, wildfires, groundwater removal, changing water levels, grazing and agricultural expansion^1,2.

Conservation measures underway It occurs in a number of protected areas but no specific conservation actions are known.

Conservation measures proposed Conserve wetland habitats within its range. Manage retreat at coastal sites so they continue to support the species in the face of sea level rise and increased storm frequency. Protect threatened sub-populations. Develop and introduce methods for monitoring population changes over time.

References del Hoyo et al. (1996). 1. Eddleman et al. (1994). 2. Taylor and van Perlo (1998).

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), Isabel Isherwood (BirdLife International), David Wege (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Greg Butcher (National Audubon Society), David Wege (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Laterallus jamaicensis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

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.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums