AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

2009. Hypotsenidla striata obscuriora

(2009) Hypotaenidia striata obscuriora Hume.
THE ANDAMAN BLUE-BREASTED BANDED RAIL.
Hypotaenidia striata obscuriora. Fauna B. I., Birds, 2nd ed, vol. vi, p. 9.
This Rail is confined to the Andamans and Nicobars.
Butler (Journ. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc. vol. xii, p. 693, 1890) gives the following description of this Rail’s habitat and nesting habits :—“Common to both groups, but a very skulking bird and seldom flushed. It frequents forest a good deal, as well as paddy land, marshes etc., and I caught several in thick jungle.
“This rail breeds more or less throughout the year. I have known of nests in June, July and November in the Andamans and took a nest on Car Nicobar on August 30th. The nest is a mere pad of grass etc., placed anywhere in thick grass or herbage, either in the open or in the jungle. The eggs are 7 or 8 in number,”
Osmaston (B. B.) adds to this (ibid. vol. xvii, p. 489, 1906):— “Very common in marshy meadows and reedy swamps. I found a number of nests in tufts of grass and rushes in swampy ground between June 15 and August 15. The nest is merely a pad of dry grass usually well concealed in the rushes. Six eggs appear to be the full complement.”
One clutch of eggs sent to me by Osmaston is said to have been taken on the 8th June. Six eggs is, as Osmaston observes, the normal full clutch and Wickham and Anderson never took more— so Butlers’ eight and nine must have been quite exceptional.
The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the Indian bird but, viewed as a series, are still more handsomely marked and richly coloured.
One hundred and fifty eggs average 36.0 x 27.5 mm. : maxima 39.2 x 28.7 and 37.0 x 29.4 mm. ; minima 32.7 x 25.0 mm.

BookTitle: 
The Nidification Of Birds Of The Indian Empire
Reference: 
Baker, Edward Charles Stuart. The nidification of birds of the Indian Empire. Vol. 4. 1935.
Title in Book: 
2009. Hypotsenidla striata obscuriora
Spp Author: 
Hume.
Book Author: 
Edward Charles Stuart Baker
CatNo: 
2009
Year: 
1935
Page No: 
293
Common name: 
Andaman Blue Breasted Banded Rail
M_ID: 
3497
M_SN: 
Gallirallus striatus obscurior
Volume: 
Vol. 4
id: 
15200

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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith