Gallinula melanops
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The spot-flanked gallinule (Porphyriops melanops) is a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It is monotypic in the genus Porphyriops. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
Its natural habitats are swamps and freshwater lakes, but it is able to survive in properly managed artificial ponds. Its population has declined significantly in recent decades. The spot-flanked gallinule has a W chromosome that is larger than its Z chromosome, which is unique among bird species.
The spot-flanked gallinule weighs between 154 and 225 grams, with an average length of 28 cm, often described as a small waterfowl-like bird. Its head, chin, neck and breast feathers are a slate gray, contrasting with the black forehead and crown, extending to the top of the nape. Its covert feathers are a brown, cocoa-like, color while primary feathers tend to have a slight color contrast and are a darker shade of brown. As the name suggests, the flanks of this species is brown with white mottling with its rump a mix of the same shades of brown and white. Juveniles do not have any contrasting plumage and are typically entirely black before developing... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iberá National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosario | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Buenos Aires | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 3 | Santiago | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 4 | Bogota | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 5 | Montevideo | 🇺🇾 Uruguay |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Spot-flanked Gallinule sighting in Iberá National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 279th most-seen of the 284 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Spot-flanked Gallinule in Iberá National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spot-flanked Gallinule sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only Iberá National Park, in our data
Iberá National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Spot-flanked Gallinule sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Spot-flanked Gallinule is recorded against all the birds logged in Iberá National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
