棕背田鸡 Black-tailed Crake
Zapornia bicolor

中小型涉禽
体长 21~24 cm

虹膜 /iris

红色 /red

嘴 /bill

绿色，嘴基红色/ green with red base and dark tip

脚 /legs and feet

砖红色 /brick red

目 │ 鹤形目GRUIFORMES 科 │ 秧鸡科Rallidae

野外识别 │ 上体棕褐色，尾黑色，头、颈、胸和下体石板灰色，无横斑，颏、喉污白色。

居留及分布 │ 国外分布于印度、缅甸、越南、老挝。国内主要分布于四川、云南和贵州。近年在南岭有发现，但不常见，于乳阳有记录。

生境及习性 │ 栖息于近河流、湖泊、池塘的灌丛、疏林地，以及水田等地。一般在晨、昏时间活动。性机警、隐蔽，常躲藏于草丛、灌丛中。主要取食水生昆虫等动物性食物。繁殖期4—8 月。在灌丛中筑巢。窝卵数 5~8 枚。

Field identification │ A small crake. Adults have a slaty-grey head and neck, rufescent upperparts with a blackish tail, and slaty-grey underparts. Juveniles are duller above and brownish on the neck and underparts. The male territorial call is a long, descending trill lasting up to 13 seconds.

Distribution & status │ Patchily distributed from northeast India through Myanmar and N Indochina to southwest China. It has recently been discovered in northern Guangdong at Nanling, where it is a rare resident, recorded at Ruyang.

Habitat & habits │ Black-tailed Crakes occur on streams or wet farmland near forest edges,where they feed on worms, molluscs, insects and the seeds of marsh plants. They nest in April.