Okinawa Rail

Okinawa Rail
ヤンバルクイナ
Character Data
Romaji		Yanbarukuina
Debut		Kemono Friends (2015 Game)
Animal Data
Scientific Name		Hypotaenidia okinawae
Distribution		Okinawa
Diet		Carnivore
Avg. Lifespan		?
Read More		Okinawa rail
Conservation

Okinawa Rail

Festival (Costume)

Pavilion

KF3

Nexon Game

Stage Play

Gallery

Okinawa Rail is a type of bird Friend that first appeared in the original Kemono Friends mobile game.

Appearance

Okinawa Rail has pale skin and bright red eyes. Her hair has an unusual shape; the main part is long, feather-y, and ruffled, going down to the middle of her back. It is black on the top and olive brown on the underside. There are two equally long white strands at the side that have a slight outward curve. A single center bang is bright orange-red with a yellow tip, representing the real life animal's beak. A red hibiscus flower rests on the top left side of her head.

She dons a black turtleneck sweater with "gloved" hands. A black-and-white sweater vest with her signature barred feather pattern and olive colored sleeves covers her turtleneck. Her pleated skirt is the same black as her undershirt. Lastly, her leggings and sandals are both solid orange-red.

Series Appearances

Appearances In Kemono Friends Media

Media		Role
2015	Nexon Game	↪ Minor character, playable
2017	Stage Play "Kemono Friends"	↪ Cameo
2018	Kemono Friends Pavilion	↪ Observable character
2018	Kemono Friends Festival	↪ Minor character, playable
2018	Kemono Friends Picross	Appears on a puzzle
2019	Kemono Friends 3	↪ Minor character, playable
2019	Kemono Friends 3: Planet Tours	↪ Photo illustration

In Real Life

Okinawa rail, at the Neo Park Okinawa, Japan. Photo by OpenCage, 2012.

The Okinawa rail (Hypotaenidia okinawae) is a bird in the rail family, Rallidae. It is endemic to the island of Okinawa, Japan, specifically the northern part of the island called Yanbaru. In its home country, the bird is known as the Yanbaru kuina (ヤンバルクイナ (山原水鶏).

It is a bird on the smaller side, about 30 cm (11 in.) long with a wingspan of 50 cm (19.6 in.), and weighs about 435 grams (.095 lbs.). The upper part of the body is an olive brown whereas the underbelly is black with narrow, white bars. Probably the most distinct feature is the bright red, white-tipped beak. Its long legs are also a red hue. Young rails are much more pale and have a mottled pattern rather than the signature bars of adults.

Okinawa rails are talkative birds with a variety of loud calls. Those calls are heard most often early and late in the day, usually from the ground but occasionally from trees. Pairs often call together and up to 12 birds have been heard in one area.

Mated pairs are monogamous and appear to mate for life. The nests are built on the ground and made from fallen leaves and foliage. A clutch of 2-4 eggs is laid between May and July. The eggs are small, oval-shaped, and white with reddish, pinkish, or brownish markings. Chicks are born with solid black downy feathers, yellowish legs and feet, and a white bill.

A stuffed specimen at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan. Photo by user Momotarou2012.

Being endemic to the Yanbaru section of the Okinawa island, their habitat range is very small, a grand total range of just 260 km². It can be found from sea-level to the highest mountains at 498 m (about 1,633 ft.) above sea-level. Come winter though, some birds will move lower down or move a bit further south of the preferred breeding range. It prefers evergreen forests but will also occur in marshes, grasslands, and cultivated lands, so long as its close to forests and water. The rails require dense ground vegetation as well as standing water for bathing.

Food is mainly taken from the dense forest floor, but may also be taken from the shallow waters which it bathes. Okinawa rails are known to eat lizards, amphibians, snails and large insects such as locusts.

The habitat range of the Okinawa rail. Graph by Japan GSI.

The Okinawa rail species is classified as endangered by BirdLife International because of its small, declining population and restricted habitat range. In 1986, the total population was estimated at around 1,800 birds. Surveys made between 1996 and 2004 suggested a significant decline to a mere 720 birds and a "northward contraction of the range" of about 40%. However, a follow up survey done in 2006 found no further range contraction. The species is now legally protected in Japan and has been declared a "natural monument" and a "special bird for protection". Not only it has a captive breeding program been planned for sometime in the future, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment has laid out a 10-year action plan with steps it plans to take to stabilize the species' numbers.

Trivia

• The species was only recently discovered, first being described in 1981 by Japanese ornithologist Yoshimaro Yamashina.
• One of its main predators is the Okinawan Habu, a venomous snake.
• Okinawa rails are not suited for flying, but are great runners.
• Its home range of Yanbaru became a national park in 2016.

References

• Wikipedia Page
• BirdLife International (2016). "Hypotaenidia okinawae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22692412A93352408. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692412A93352408.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
• Del Hoyo, J. Elliott, A. and Sargatal, J (1996) Handbook of the Birds of the World—Hoatzins to Auks Vol 3 Lynx Edicions Barcelona
• Taylor, Barry & Ber van Perlo (1998) Rails: A Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World, Pica Press, Sussex.
• Peterson, Alan P. (2002) Zoonomen Nomenclatural data. Downloaded on 22 October 2008.
• BirdLife International (2008) Species factsheet: Gallirallus okinawae. Downloaded on 15 October 2008.
• A 10-year Action Plan for the Okinawa Rail Protection and Recovery Program (2015–2025) (PDF) (Report). Japanese Ministry of the Environment. December 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2020.