Order RALLIFORMES

Rails, Moorhens, Gallinules, Coots
An almost cosmopolitan family of about 145 species. The rails and crakes are skulking marsh birds, hiding in reeds and long grass and seldom venturing out into the open except in the early morning or late evenings. They walk well with long strides, but in an ungainly fashion with a jerk of the head and a twitch of the tail at each step; when disturbed they run fast into the nearest cover with the head and tail depressed, and fly with reluctance. the long-toed legs hanging down conspicuously. The downy young of all species are black.

Of 13 species in Borneo, the status of several-resident or migrant-is not yet understood. Two species, the Common Moorhen and Purple Swamphen, appear to have expanded their breeding range in Borneo substantially during the past century.

Jacanas
Jacanas are remarkable for their very long toes and claws,a feature that enables them to walk about on the floating leaves of aquatic plants. The females are larger than the males, and the roles of the sexes in rearing the young are reversed. In our area they are represented by two species. (Smythies, The Birds of Borneo, 1999)

Photographed Species

Scientific Name	Common Name	Link
(Amaurornis phoenicurus)	White Breasted Waterhen	Image
(Fulica atra)	Common Coot	Image
(Gallicrex cinerea)	Watercock	Male	Female
(Gallinula chloropus)	Common Moorhan	Image
(Gallirallus philippensis)	Buff-banded Rail	Image
(Gallirallus striata)	Slaty-breasted Rail	Image
(Porphyrio porphyrio)	Purple Swamphen	Image
(Poliolimnas cinereus)	White-browed Crake	Image
(Porzana fusca)	Ruddy-breasted Crake	Image
(Hydrophasianus chirurgus)	Pheasant-tailed Jacana	Image