Nkulengu rail facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nkulengu rail
in Ankasa Forest Reserve, Ghana
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Gruiformes
Family:	Rallidae
Genus:	Himantornis Hartlaub, 1855
Species:	H. haematopus
Binomial name
Himantornis haematopus Hartlaub, 1855
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The same four birds

The Nkulengu rail (scientific name: Himantornis haematopus) is a type of bird. It belongs to the Rallidae family, which includes rails, crakes, and coots. This bird is the only species in its genus called Himantornis.

About the Nkulengu Rail

The Nkulengu rail is a unique bird. For a long time, scientists thought it was very different from other rails. They even thought it might be a "living fossil" because it looked like older bird groups.

However, newer studies show that it is indeed a rail. It just has some special features that help it live in its rainforest home. These features might have developed again over time.

Where Do Nkulengu Rails Live?

This bird lives in the tropical rainforests of Africa. You can find it in many countries across Central and West Africa.

These countries include Angola, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic. It also lives in the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Other places where it lives are Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Ghana. You can also find it in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Uganda.

How to Spot a Nkulengu Rail

Nkulengu rails are very shy birds. They prefer to stay hidden in the thick rainforests. This makes them very hard to see.

Even though they are hard to spot, you can often hear them! They have a very loud and special call. These calls are often made by two birds together.