Swinhoe's Rail Coturnicops exquisitus wintering on the Pacific side of Chubu and Kinki region, Japan

Abstract

The wintering distribution and the detailed status of presence or absence of the Swinhoe's Rail Coturnicops exquisitus are unknown except for the Kanto region. To confirm the presence of this species, we conducted a call playback survey in shoreline areas along the Pacific Ocean in the central Honshu and Kinki regions (Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, and Wakayama prefectures) from January 2020 to April 2022. We confirmed the presence of this species at 12 of the 34 sites where we conducted surveys. The species was present throughout the wintering season in these areas, and thus we conclude the area is an active wintering site. The majority of the occupied habitats were wet grasslands established on abandoned rice fields, implying that such environments are important habitats for this species. This species’ habitat is likely disappearing without the potential effects for the species being fully understood, and further research into the habitat status is recommended.