Junin crake

{{short description|Subspecies of bird}}

{{Subspeciesbox

| name = Junin crake

| image = Junin Rail P1012694 DxO8.jpg

| status = EN

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=Laterallus tuerosi |volume=2016 |page=e.T22692358A93350323 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22692358A93350323.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}

| genus = Laterallus

| species = jamaicensis

| species_link = Black rail

| subspecies = tuerosi

| authority = Fjeldså, 1983

| synonyms =

}}

The Junin crake or Junin rail (Laterallus jamaicensis tuerosi) is an elusive and rare bird in the family Rallidae found only in marshy habitats around Lake Junin in the Andean highlands of west-central Peru.[http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0312-juninrail-pod.html Mongabay: Animal photos of the day: the most elusive bird in the world?]

The taxonomic position of the Junin crake is disputed: It was first described as a subspecies of the black rail in 1983 and in later years it has variably been considered a black rail subspecies or its own species. Its plumage is highly distinct compared to other black rail subspecies, but its voice is rather similar to those of the two other South American subspecies (L. j. murivagans of coastal Peru and L. j. salinasi of Chile and Argentina), although it does show some differences.{{cite web| title=Elevate Laterallus jamaicensis tuerosi to species status | url=https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCprop536.htm | date=1 July 2012 | publisher=South American Classification Committee | access-date=11 November 2023 }}{{cite journal| last=Dinesen | first=L. | last2=Chamorro | first2=A. | last3=Fjeldså | first3=J. | last4=Aucca | first4=C- | year=2017 |title=Distribution and habitat description of Junín Rail Laterallus tuerosi, Andean Peru | journal=Bird Conservation International | volume=27 | pages=388-397 | doi=10.1017/S0959270916000599 }} However, their voices are quite distinct from the voices of black rails of North America. Preliminary evidence also suggests that the Galapagos crake, another member of this species complex, has a voice that resembles that of the South American black rails.{{cite web| title=Elevate Laterallus jamaicensis tuerosi to species status | url=https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCprop536.htm | date=1 July 2012 | publisher=South American Classification Committee | access-date=11 November 2023 }}

Regardless of its taxonomic position, the Junin crake is seriously threatened, mostly due to habitat loss, and it is considered endangered by the IUCN. Several other threatened animals, including two birds, the Junin grebe (Podiceps taczanowskii) and the Junin white-tufted grebe (Rollandia rolland), are restricted to the same lake.{{cite journal| last=Dinesen | first=L. | last2=Chamorro | first2=A. | last3=Fjeldså | first3=J. | last4=Aucca | first4=C- | year=2019 |title=Long-term declines in waterbirds abundance at Lake Junín, Andean Peru | journal=Bird Conservation International | volume=29 | pages=83–99 | doi=10.1017/S0959270918000230 | doi-access=free }}