Meet this week's Stars!
Due to the current COVID-19 and Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures being closed until further notice there is still plenty happening behind the scenes.
Each week we will keep you updated with what our Wildlife and Wildlife Keepers are doing.
This week our beautiful birds in our Tropical Free Flight Aviary are getting down to business and we are happy to introduce you to our Two Stars this week ‘Raylene & Raymond’ our two Buff-banded Rails, ‘Gallirallus philippensis Rallidae.
Meet Raylene Above!
Raylene & Raymond have been busy and now we are awaiting the arrival of the little ones! This will take approximately 18 – 25 days for the eggs to hatch and the Rails can lay up to 5 – 8 eggs in a clutch. Eggs are off-white to buff, spotted and blotched red-brown, heavily at the large end and the underside lilac-grey blotches.
Raylene is taking a stretch from Motherly duties Raymond is looking after the clutch of eggs Raymond showing his best side
These Rails are between 28 – 33 cm in size, they are known as an elegant rail with a red-brown bill, they have a white eyebrow and rich chestnut stripes from the eye to the nape.
A grey breast crossed by buff bands, the underparts and under tail have finely banded black and buff white markings. They are quite interesting when they walk, they can be hunched or elegantly tall.
If they become nervous, they will tail flick. Generally seen from low, dense vegetation to foraging on edges of the water, bare wettish ground and saltmarshes, fringes of the rainforest, scrubby woodlands, heathland and on islands, mangroves, drier more open habitats.
Their voice is a high-pitched double cheep!
Breeding generally from August to March or any month after rains.
Their Range and status are e., se. and coastal North Australia; Kimberley and coastal Western Australia and many islands; vagrant to Tasmania. Also, Lord Howe, Norfolk Is.; PNG to the Philippines; Cocos-Keeling Is.; many Pacific islands; New Zealand.
So, check in on our News Page to see what is happening. Thank you for your wonderful support in difficult times.
