The slender-billed flufftail is a species of bird in the family Sarothruridae. It is found in highlands of eastern Madagascar.
Region
Eastern and Central Madagascar Highlands
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in high-elevation marshes, wet grasslands, and boggy valley bottoms with dense sedges and rushes. Prefers areas with thick ground cover, shallow water, and tussocky vegetation such as Cyperus and Juncus. It may use the margins of rice paddies and small streams where native sedges persist. The species is highly localized and sensitive to burning, drainage, and grazing. Its distribution is fragmented, reflecting the scattered availability of suitable wetlands.
Altitude Range
800–2000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A shy, rail-like bird of Madagascar’s highland marshes, the slender-billed flufftail is renowned for its secretive habits and preference for dense sedge beds. It is often detected more by its soft, repetitive calls than by sight. Habitat loss from wetland drainage and burning poses major threats. Conservation efforts focus on protecting high-elevation marshes and managing fire and grazing pressure.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; reluctant low flusher
Social Behavior
Usually found singly or in pairs, keeping to dense cover. Likely monogamous during the breeding season, with nests concealed low in sedge tussocks near shallow water. Clutch sizes are small, and both parents are thought to share incubation and chick care. Territorial calling increases during the rainy season.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives soft, repetitive ticking or piping notes, sometimes delivered in short series from cover. Calls are most frequent at dawn and dusk and can resemble insect or frog sounds, making the bird hard to locate.
Plumage
Densely patterned, finely barred brown plumage with darker mottling and lighter buff streaking; males tend to be darker with richer rufous tones. Underparts are barred, aiding camouflage in sedge beds. Feathers are soft and compact, suited to moving through dense vegetation.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small invertebrates such as insects, spiders, and small mollusks. Forages by pecking and probing in damp leaf litter and shallow mud among sedge bases. Occasionally takes small seeds or plant matter, especially when invertebrate prey is scarce. Uses stealthy movements and quick jabs to capture prey.
Preferred Environment
Dense sedge and rush beds at the edges of marshes, boggy grasslands, and stream margins. Also forages along the fringes of rice fields where native wetland vegetation remains. Keeps close to cover and rarely ventures into open areas.
