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Plain-flanked Rail Rallus wetmorei

IUCN Red List Criteria

Critically Endangered  
Endangered B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v);D 
Vulnerable A2ce+3ce;B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v);D1+2 

IUCN Red List history

Year Category
2012 Endangered
2008 Endangered
2006 Endangered
2004 Endangered
2000 Endangered
1996 Endangered
1994 Endangered
1988 Threatened

Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency Medium
Land mass type continent
 Average mass -

Distribution

  Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) 120 medium
Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) 120 medium
Area of Occupancy breeding/resident (km2) 120
Area of Occupancy non-breeding (km2) 120
Number of locations 3 -
Fragmentation -

Population & trend

  Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
No. of mature individuals 50-200 poor Estimated 2008
Population trend Decreasing poor -
Number of subpopulations 3 - - -
Largest subpopulation - - -
Generation length (yrs) 4.6 - - -
Population justification: The population is assumed to fall in the band 50-249 individuals, based on a paucity of recent records and the restricted number of known localities. This equates to 33-166 mature individuals, placed here in the band 50-200 mature individuals. For the sites where there are recent records (i.e. since its initial collection in the 1940s-1950s), the population is estimated to be at least 20 pairs in the Morrocoy-Tucacas area of Falcón and 15 in Patanemo, Carabobo. Verification of this estimate is desirable.
Trend justification: This species' population is suspected to be rapidly decreasing as its mangrove habitat is lost or degraded due to coastal housing, touristic and industrial developments, pollution from domestic sewage and agricultural run-off, sedimentation and the restriction of water flow by road-building.

Country/Territory distribution

Country/Territory Occurrence status Extinct Breeding Non-breeding Passage
Venezuela Native No      

Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria

Country/Territory IBA Name IBA link
Venezuela Henri Pittier National Park (Parque Nacional Henri Pittier IBA) site factsheet
Venezuela Morrocoy National Park (Parque Nacional Morrocoy IBA) site factsheet
Venezuela Parque Nacional San Esteban site factsheet
Venezuela Refugio de Fauna Silvestre Cuare site factsheet

Habitats & altitude

Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level major resident
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes major resident
Altitude 0 - 0 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact

Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Residential & commercial development Housing & urban areas Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Residential & commercial development Tourism & recreation areas Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Rapid Declines Medium Impact:
Stresses
Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Energy production & mining Mining & quarrying Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Transportation & service corridors Roads & railroads Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals / Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Decline Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Species mortality
Pollution Domestic & urban waste water / Type Unknown/Unrecorded Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Decline Medium Impact:
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Pollution Industrial & military effluents / Type Unknown/Unrecorded Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Decline Medium Impact:
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Pollution Agricultural & forestry effluents / Type Unknown/Unrecorded Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Decline Medium Impact:
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Utilisation

Purpose Primary form used Life stage used Source Scale Level Timing
Food (human) Whole Adults and juveniles Wild Subsistence, National Non-trivial Recent

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Rallus wetmorei. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013.

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.

Key facts
Current IUCN Red List category Endangered
Family Rallidae (Rails, crakes and allies)
Species name author Zimmer & Phelps, 1944
Population size 50-200 mature individuals
Population trend Decreasing
Distribution size (breeding/resident) 120 km2
Country endemic? Yes
Links to further information
- Summary information on this species