Central Chile and northern Argentina patchily south to Tierra del Fuego.
Population
Estimated population is 2,500 - 9,999 (2010) and decreasing.
Status VU
Habitat destruction and degradation due to development, cattle grazing, harvesting of aquatic vegetation, are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Voice
A series of 5-10 high-pitched and strident 'pi-ric' notes introduced by a single 'píc'. A loud call 'pi-choj' (usually higher at the beginning) that seems to be a duet but it is performed by one bird. Also a recently-described 'tri-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti'.
Austral Rail (Rallus antarcticus) [XC60070]
by Alvaro Jaramillo from PN Torres del Paine, El Mirador, XII Region, Chile (song)
Austral Rail (Rallus antarcticus) [XC450106]
by Bobby Wilcox from Torres del Paine, XII Regi\u00f3n, Chile (call)
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) and Bogota Rail (Rallus semiplumbeus), and sometimes regarded as conspecific with either.
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Plumbeous Rail (Pardirallus sanguinolentus) is larger with longer, green bill, plain upperparts and unbarred rear. Other similarly patterned crakes are much smaller.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet