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THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY • Vol. 123. No. 4. December 2011 
FIG. 9. Wake Island Rails (Gcillircillus wakensis) in life: A: adult in right lateral view; B: adult in frontal view; C: adult 
about to settle on nest; D: adult settled on nest with only head and neck showing. Torrey Lyons, ca. 1939, MVZ Archives. 
tween each step. One that was feeding on insects 
in a Cordia bush 60 cm off the ground fluttered its 
wings to keep balance and as an aid in climbing. 
Another in jumping off a 4 foot (1.2 m) high box, 
flapped its wings to break the fall. 
Spencer (1936) found the birds could not 
escape from pens that were higher than they 
could jump. “One running very fast flapped its 
wings hart! and appeared to be taking most weight 
off [with its'?] wings" (Lyons 1939, 12 Jul). 
"Another one running seemed almost to take off 
(Lyons 1941, 2 Apr). 
Home Range .—‘The birds seem to have very 
limited ranges" (Wctmore in Olson 1996:111). 
"These birds seem very sedentary. Those that 1 
take on sandy areas where there is only scattered 
areas of shade, are very worn and pale color 
above, those from certain sections where there are 
extensive dead-falls have the wing feathers worn 
and abraded, apparently from their use in 
climbing about. This is true though more suitable 
areas where conditions are less severe may be 
found near at hand" (Wetmore in Olson 
1996:184). Lyons noticed one that was missing 
a foot and was not seen >15 m from the 
greenhouse on Peale Island, and another that 
was marked with blue paint was seen once by the 
recreation hall and three limes by the greenhouse 
(Lyons 1939. 26 Jun). 
Vocalizations .—“They utter a low chattering 
call, a clattering note that is easily recognized as 
a rail call and also a low cluck that is audible only 
when near at hand" (Wetmore in Olson 
1996:105). “When I squeak they reply with a 
rattling chatter that is unmistakably a rail call and 
come running toward me under the brush. Near at 
hand they give a low clucking call" (Wetmore in 
Olson 1996:111). 
Newly hatched downy young made loud wails 
while the adults attending them made complaining 
sounds (Lyons 1939, 23 Oct). An adult circling 
away from its young that it perceived to be under 
