The pink-legged rail, also known as the New Britain rail, is a species of bird in the family Rallidae. The species was formerly placed in the genus Hypotaenidia.
Region
Bismarck Archipelago
Typical Environment
The pink-legged rail is restricted to New Britain, inhabiting dense lowland and foothill rainforest and heavily vegetated forest edges. It favors thick understory, tangled vines, and leaf-littered ground where it can move quietly and stay concealed. It may use secondary growth and selectively logged forest if cover remains intact. Occurrence near streams, swampy patches, and wet gullies is likely, as many rails prefer moist substrates.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the New Britain rail, this elusive species is known from very few records and is difficult to observe in dense rainforest undergrowth. It is a member of the rail family (Rallidae) and has characteristically pink legs. The taxonomy has shifted over time, with the species placed by some authorities in Hypotaenidia. Habitat loss from logging and agricultural expansion on New Britain is considered a potential threat.
Temperament
secretive and shy
Flight Pattern
reluctant flier with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, moving quietly through dense understory. Nests are likely placed on or near the ground in well-concealed sites. Clutch size in related rails is small to moderate, with precocial chicks that follow adults soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are infrequently heard but expected to include grunts, squeals, and repeated whistles typical of forest rails. Calls are often given at dawn and dusk and can carry through dense vegetation.
Plumage
Compact rail with dense, plain to subtly barred brownish plumage adapted for camouflage in forest floor leaf litter; body laterally compressed with short, rounded wings.
Diet
Feeds on a mix of invertebrates such as insects, earthworms, and snails, supplemented by seeds and fallen fruits. It probes and picks through leaf litter and soft soil, often along moist microhabitats. Opportunistic foraging on small amphibians or other tiny prey may occur. Diet likely varies with season and local availability.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the forest floor in dense understory, along edges of streams, wet gullies, and swampy patches. Uses cover to remain concealed while feeding and may exploit gaps or edges after rains when invertebrates are active.
