{{short description|Species of bird}} {{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
{{speciesbox | name = Rusty-flanked crake | image = Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London (Pl. XXXV) (9149458595).jpg | status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=Rusty-flanked Crake ''Laterallus levraudi'' |volume=2018 |article-number=e.T22692340A131379965 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22692340A131379965.en |access-date=29 November 2022}}</ref> | genus = Laterallus | species = levraudi | authority = (Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1869) | synonyms = | range_map = Laterallus levraudi map.svg }}
The '''rusty-flanked crake''' ('''''Laterallus levraudi''''') is a Vulnerable species of bird in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is endemic to Venezuela.<ref name=IOC12.2>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date= August 2022 | title=Flufftails, finfoots, rails, trumpeters, cranes, limpkin | work=IOC World Bird List Version 12.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/bow/flufftails/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=25 November 2022 }}</ref><ref name=HBW2021>HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6_Dec21.zip retrieved August 7, 2022</ref><ref name=IUCN/>
==Taxonomy and systematics==
The rusty-flanked crake is monotypic.<ref name=IOC12.2/> Some authors treat it and the rufous-sided crake (''Laterallus melanophaius'') as a superspecies.<ref name=SACClist>Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 July 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved July 24, 2022</ref>
==Description==
The rusty-flanked crake is {{convert|14|to|16.5|cm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} long. The sexes are alike. They have dark olive brown upperparts and red flanks. Their underparts are red except for a white throat and center of the breast.<ref name=RFCR-BOW>Taylor, B., C. J. Sharpe, and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Rusty-flanked Crake (''Laterallus levraudi''), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.rufcra2.01 retrieved November 29, 2022</ref>
==Distribution and habitat==
The rusty-flanked crake is found only in Venezuela north of the Orinoco River, mostly coastally and somewhat inland along the western flank of the Andes. It inhabits a variety of wet lowland landscapes including swamps, marshes, lagoons, lakeshores, and flooded pastures. In elevation it ranges from about {{convert|20|to|600|m|ft|sigfig=2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=RFCR-BOW/>
==Behavior== ===Movement===
The rusty-flanked crake is not known to migrate.<ref name=RFCR-BOW/>
===Feeding===
The rusty-flanked crake's foraging technique and diet have not been documented but are assumed to be similar to those of congeners. They usually forage on the ground or in shallow water, mostly for insects but also feeding on seeds.<ref name=RFCR-BOW/>
===Breeding===
Nothing is known about the rusty-flanked crake's breeding biology.<ref name=RFCR-BOW/>
{{birdsong|url=https://xeno-canto.org/species/Laterallus-levraudi |species=rusty-flanked crake}} ===Vocalization===
The rusty-flanked crake's song is "an abrupt, loose churring" sometimes preceded by single notes: "ti ... ti .. ti.ti.trrrrrrrrrrrrrr". It is especially vocal during the morning, and in May to July.<ref name=RFCR-BOW/>
==Status==
The IUCN originally assessed the rusty-flanked crake in 1988 as Threatened, then in 1994 as Vulnerable and in 2000 as Endangered. In 2018 it was again assessed as Vulnerable. It has a limited range which is however larger than thought in the past. Its estimated population of between 1000 and 2500 mature individuals is believed to be decreasing. Degradation and destruction of its habitat by industrial waste, tourist development, agriculture, and dam expansion are the principal threats.<ref name=IUCN/> It appears to be locally common and "conversion of largely-forested regions to pastureland with water-bodies may favour this crake."<ref name=RFCR-BOW/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1261990}}
rusty-flanked crake Category:Birds of the Venezuelan Coastal Range Category:Endemic birds of Venezuela rusty-flanked crake rusty-flanked crake rusty-flanked crake Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot