Phantom Flufftails!

Buff-spotted flufftail, St Lucia

Buff-spotted flufftails (or any of the flufftails for that matter) are the bane of many a birder. They are small, secretive and inhabit difficult to access habitats- making them extremely difficult to find. Immense determination, patience and a good amount of luck are often required to get a sight of these elusive little birds.
 
Buff-spotted flufftails inhabit dense coastal forest and dune forest habitats which are characterized by gloomy light conditions and dense undergrowth. They are mainly silent except when breeding and, interestingly, even when breeding mainly only call at dawn, dusk, night or on rainy/misty days. It is only on a walk in suitable conditions during their breeding season that one actually realizes that they are relatively common by virtue of the number of calling birds in the forest!….Amazingly these tiny birds which weigh a mere 45grams produce a low-pitched hooting call which carries up to 1km in dense forest and up to 2 and a half kilometers in more open areas!!!
 
Even if one follows the call, however, the bird is more than likely concealed in a dense bush and impossible to see. I have waited patiently for a few hours next to a 3 sq/m isolated bush waiting for a calling bird to emerge only to eventually throw in the towel!
 
The forests around St Lucia are the perfect habitat for the Buff-spotted flufftails and as such we hear them regularly on our birding walks. Occasionally we are lucky enough to get views of these little birds as they search through the leaf litter for their invertebrate meals but most of the time we are left frustrated knowing that they have probably seen us but not the other way round!  
 
As frustrating as it can be to find the flufftails and other secretive birds, they all play their part in making birdwatching such an enjoyable, unpredictable and challenging endeavour. Imagine all birds were as conspicuous and confiding as the ubiquitous Dark-capped bulbul….. birdwatching just wouldn’t be the same!        

---

Buff-spotted flufftail photographed close to St Lucia.