General
Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome. All Malaysian and Indonesian names in the process of conversion into modernised spelling only. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.
The Rallidae are among several families whose members were actively hunted, not only by the native population, but also by the Europeans who considered them among the 'sporting birds'. Therefore, many old Malay names, especially those for the larger species were recorded early and have been preserved. Some of these old names were also applied to (or derived from) names of other kinds of birds, notably the Phasianidae.
| Popular General Name | Conventional English Equivalent | Maximum Extent of Current Range of Meaning | Current Narrow Meaning |
| sintar | ‘rail’ | any of the smaller rails, forest-rails, crakes | Slaty-breasted Rail (Gallirallus striatus) |
| ayam | ‘chicken/fowl’ | watercock, swamphen; also domestic breeds of chickens/fowl, junglefowl, other domestic land fowl (guineafowl, turkeys); short-tailed gallopheasants (Phasianidae) | 'domestic chicken/fowl' (Gallus gallus) (Phasianidae) |
| ayam-ayam(an) | ‘diminutive chicken/fowl’ | watercock, waterhen; snipe, woodcock, dowitchers (Scolopacidae) | Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea) |
In addition to the bird names, ayam-ayam(an) also is used for 'weathercock (a weathervane)' and 'toy chicken'.
Sintar retains its broad meaning in popular Malaysian and Indonesian, and it has typically been retained in ornithological Malaysian as a general name for the smaller rails. In addition, Indonesian has an exact synonym, tikusan, a derivative of tikus 'mouse' (reflecting the way these small birds often scurry away from pursuit rather than flying). Ornithological Indonesian has retained sintar only as a species name because of its popular identification with Gallirallus striatus. However, it has everywhere else replaced sintar as a general name with tikusan.
While still current in popular usage in both languages, ayam and its derivatives have typically been replaced in ornithological usage. Apparently, identification with the Phasianidae was sufficient to make the ayam names problematic. Only Ornithological Malaysian has retained ayam-ayam, and then only as 'watercock'.
Other traditional popular names are restricted to single species and are often particular to the local regions.
The commonly heard cry of the waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) has provided a number of onomatopoetic names: ruak ~ ruah, uwak, kuar, kareo, etc. Similar names are used throughout the area to indicate not only waterhen but other noisy birds.
Different kinds of medium-sized, black or dark-coloured birds have been likened to mynas (Sturnidae), including here Gallinula chloropus as 'water myna'.
Ornithological Malaysian has expanded one of the older species-particular names, pangling ~ pang(u)lin 'swamphen', as a general name for moorhens and coots as well as for swamphens. Ornithological Indonesian has instead expanded mandar, a different name for 'swamphen', as a general name for most of the large Rallidae.
| Form of Name | Original Meaning | Ornithological Malaysian | Ornithological Indonesian |
| sintar | 'rail' | Rallina, Gallirallus, Porzana, Amaurornis*, Rallus* | Gallirallus (as species name only) |
| tikusan | 'mouse' | --- | Rallina (part), Porzana |
| kareo | 'waterhen' | --- | Amaurornis |
| ayam-ayam | 'diminutive-fowl/chicken' | Gallicrex | --- |
| pangling | 'swamphen' | Porphyrio, Gallinula, Fulica | --- |
| mandar | 'swamphen' | --- | Gallicrex, Porphyrio, Gallinula, Fulica |
| mandar-padi | 'paddy-swamphen' | --- | Gallirallus, Rallus* |
| mandar-gunung | 'mountain-swamphen' | --- | Rallina (part)* |
* extralimital species only
Species names
ABOUT THIS TABLE| RALLINAE | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
MALAY |
OTHER S. E. ASIAN |
EAST ASIAN |
|||||
| Rallina | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Malaysian | Other M |
Indonesian |
Thai |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Japanese |
Rallina fasciata |
Red-legged crake Red-legged banded crake |
Burung Sintar Api 'fire rail (bird)' (old, 24, 25, 26, 28) |
Burung Sintar Merah 'red rail (bird)' (old) (shared with Rallina eurizonoides) |
Burung Tikusan Ceruling 'ceruling mouse-bird' Merah Mata Lurik (29) (error for Mata Merah Lurik 'streaked red-eye') |
นกอัญชันป่าขาแดง nók an-cʰan pàa kʰăa-daeeŋ 'red-legged forest rail (bird)' |
Gà nước họng nâu 'brown-throated water-fowl/chicken' (12, 34) |
红腿斑秧鸡 (紅腿斑秧雞) 'red-legged striped seedling-fowl/chicken' Taiwan: (红脚秧鸡) 紅腳秧雞 'red-legged seedling-fowl/chicken' |
ナンヨウオオクイナ (南洋大秧鶏 ~ 南洋大水鶏) nan-yō ō kuina 'southern seas large rail' |
| Rallina eurizonoides |
Slaty-legged crake Banded crake |
Burung Sintar Merah 'red rail (bird)' (old, 24, 25, 26, 28) (shared with Rallina fasciata) |
Burung Tikusan Kaki-kelabu 'grey-legged mouse-bird' Burung Tikusan Kaki Kelabu 'grey-legged mouse-bird' (29) |
นกอัญชันป่าขาเทา nók an-cʰan pàa kʰăa-tʰaw 'grey-legged rail (bird)' |
Gà nước họng trắng 'white-throated water-fowl/chicken' (12, 13, 34) |
白喉斑秧鸡 (白喉斑秧雞) 'white-throated striped seedling-fowl/chicken' Taiwan: (灰脚秧鸡) 灰腳秧雞 'grey-legged seedling-fowl/chicken' |
オオクイナ (大秧鶏 ~ 大水鶏) ō kuina 'large rail' |
|
| Lewinia | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Malaysian | Other M |
Indonesian |
Thai |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Japanese |
| Lewinia striata Gallirallus striatus Rallus striatus |
Slaty-breasted rail Blue-breasted banded rail Banded rail |
Gallirallus striatus: Burung Sintar 'rail (bird)' (old, 24, 26, 28) Burung Sintar Biasa 'common rail (bird)' (25) |
Gallirallus striatus: Burung Mandar-padi Sintar 'rail paddy-swamphen (bird)' Burung Mandar Padi 'paddy swamphen (bird)' (29) |
นกอัญชันอกสีเทา nók an-cʰan òk-sĭi-tʰaw 'grey-breasted rail (bird)' |
Gallirallus striatus: Gà nước vằn 'striped water-fowl/chicken' (12, 13, 34) |
Gallirallus striatus: 灰胸秧鸡 (灰胸秧雞) 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (2, 4) 蓝胸秧鸡 (藍胸秧雞) 'blue-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' (1, 3, 5) Taiwan: Gallirallus striatus: (灰胸秧鸡) 灰胸秧雞 'grey-breasted seedling-fowl/chicken' |
Gallirallus striatus: ミナミクイナ (南秧鶏 ~ 南水鶏) minami kuina 'southern rail' |
|
| Zapornia | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Malaysian | Other M |
Indonesian |
Thai |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Japanese |
| Zapornia fusca Porzana fusca |
Ruddy-breasted crake Ruddy crake |
Porzana fusca: Burung Sintar Belacan 'speckled rail (bird)' (24, 25, 26, 28) |
Burung Sintar Kecil 'small rail (bird)' (shared with Porzana pusilla, Porzana fusca) (old) |
Porzana fusca: Burung Tikusan Merah 'red mouse-bird' Burung Mata Merah 'red-eyed bird' (29) (conflicts with Lophura erythrophthalma (Phasianidae) |
นกหนูแดง nók nŭu daeeŋ 'red mouse-bird' |
Porzana fusca: Chim Cuốc ngực nâu 'brown-breasted crake' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
Porzana fusca: 红胸田鸡 (紅胸田雞) 'red-breasted paddy-fowl/chicken' Taiwan: Porzana fusca: (绯秧鸡) 緋秧雞 'scarlet seedling-fowl/chicken' |
Porzana fusca: ヒクイナ (緋秧鶏 ~ 緋水鶏) hi-kuina 'scarlet rail' |
| Zapornia paykullii Porzana paykullii Rallina paykullii |
Band-bellied crake Chestnut-breasted crake |
Porzana paykullii: Burung Sintar Jalur 'striped rail (bird)' (26, 28) Burung Sintar Berjalur 'striped rail (bird)' (24) Burung Sintar Cina 'Chinese rail (bird)' (25) |
Burung Sintar Kecil 'small rail (bird)' (shared with Porzana pusilla, Porzana fusca) |
Porzana paykullii: Burung Tikusan Siberia 'Siberian mouse-bird' Burung Tikusan Kaki Merah 'red-legged mouse-bird' (29) |
นกอัญชันจีน nók an-cʰan ciin 'Chinese rail (bird)' |
Rallina (Porzana) paykullii: Chim Cuốc nâu 'brown crake (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
Porzana paykullii: 斑胁田鸡 (斑脇田雞) 'stripe-flanked paddy-fowl/chicken' (alt in 1, 2, 4, 5) 斑肋田鸡 (斑肋田雞) 'stripe-ribbed paddy-fowl/chicken' (3) Taiwan: (斑胁田鸡) 斑脇田雞 'stripe-flanked paddy-fowl/chicken' |
Porzana paykullii: コウライヒクイナ (高麗緋秧鶏 ~ 高麗緋水鶏) kōrai hi-kuina 'Korean scarlet rail' |
| Zapornia pusilla Porzana pusilla |
Baillon's crake | Porzana pusilla: Burung Sintar Kecil 'small rail (bird)' (24, 25, 26, 28) (shared with Porzana fusca, Porzana pusilla) |
Porzana pusilla: Burung Tikusan Kerdil 'dwarf mouse-bird' Burung Tikusan Kaki Kuning 'yellow-legged mouse-bird' (29) |
นกอัญชันเล็ก nók an-cʰan lék 'small rail (bird)' |
Porzana pusilla: Chim Cuốc lùn 'dwarf crake (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
Porzana pusilla: 小田鸡 (小田雞) 'small paddy-fowl/chicken' Taiwan: (小秧鸡) 小秧雞 'small seedling-fowl/chicken' |
Porzana pusilla: ヒメクイナ (姫水鶏 ~ 姫秧鶏) hime kuina 'princess rail' |
|
| Amaurornis | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Malaysian |
Indonesian |
Other M |
Thai |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Japanese |
| Amaurornis phoenicurus |
White-breasted waterhen White-breasted water hen |
Burung Ruak-ruak 'ruak-ruak bird' (onomat.) (old, 24, 25, 26, 28) |
Burung Ruah-ruah 'ruah-ruah bird' (onomat.) (old) Burung Uwak-uwak 'uwak-uwak bird' (onomat.) (old) Burung Kuar(an) 'kuar bird' (onomat.) (conflicts with Nycticorax nycticorax) (old) Ayam-ayam 'diminutive-fowl/chicken (bird)' (diminutive reduplication) (conflicts with Gallicrex cinerea) (old) |
Burung Kareo Padi 'paddy waterhen (bird)' Burung Kareo 'waterhen (bird)' (29) |
นกกวัก nók kwàk 'kwàk bird' (onomat.) |
Chim Cuốc ngực trắng 'white-breasted crake (bird)' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
白胸苦恶鸟 (白胸苦惡鳥) 'white-breasted kǔ-è bird' (onomat.) Taiwan: (白腹秧鸡) 白腹秧雞 'white-bellied seedling-fowl/chicken' |
シロハラクイナ (白腹秧鶏 ~ 白腹水鶏) shiro-hara kuina 'white-bellied rail' |
| Amaurornis cinerea Porzana cinerea Poliolimnas cinereus |
White-browed crake White-browed rail |
Porzana cinerea: Burung Sintar Dahi Putih 'white-foreheaded rail (bird)' (24, 25, 28) Burung Sintar Kening Putih 'white-eyebrowed rail (bird)' (26) |
Porzana cinerea: Burung Tikusan Alis-putih 'white-eyebrowed mouse-bird' Burung Tikusan Alis Putih 'white-eyebrowed mouse-bird' (29) |
นกอัญชันคิ้วขาว nók an-cʰan kʰíw-kʰăaw 'white-eyebrowed rail (bird)' |
Porzana cinerea: Gà nước mày trắng 'white-eyebrowed water fowl/chicken' (13) |
Porzana cinerea: 白眉田鸡 (白眉田雞) 'white-eyebrowed paddy-fowl/chicken' (2, 4) 白眉秧鸡 (白眉秧雞) 'white-eyebrowed seedling-fowl/chicken' (3) 灰田鸡 (灰田雞) 'grey paddy-fowl/chicken' (5) Taiwan: Porzana cinerea: (白眉秧鸡) 白眉秧雞 'white-eyebrowed seedling-fowl/chicken' |
Porzana cinerea: マミジロクイナ (眉白秧鶏 ~ 眉白水鶏) mami-jiro-kuina 'white-eyebrowed rail' |
|
| Gallicrex | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Malaysian | Other M |
Indonesian |
Thai |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Japanese |
| Gallicrex cinerea |
Watercock Water cock |
Burung Ayam-ayam 'diminutive-fowl/chicken (bird)' (diminutive reduplication) (old, 24, 25, 26, 28) (conflicts with Amaurornis phoenicurus) |
Ayam Mek 'fowl/chicken buddy' (mek from Dutch) (old) |
Burung Mandar Bontod 'bontod swamphen (bird)' Ayam-ayaman 'diminutive-fowl/chicken (bird)' (diminutive reduplication) (29) |
นกอีลุ้ม nók ii-lúm 'watercock (bird)' |
Gà đồng 'dong fowl/chicken' (12, 13, 34) |
董鸡 (董雞) 'dong fowl/chicken' Taiwan: (董鸡) 董雞 'dong fowl/chicken' |
ツルクイナ (鶴秧鶏 ~ 鶴水鶏) tsuru-kuina 'crane rail' |
| Porphyrio | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Malaysian | Other M |
Indonesian |
Thai |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Japanese |
| Porphyrio porphyrio |
Purple swamphen Purple swamp hen Purple moorhen Sultan hen Purple coot Blue coot Swamp hen Purple gallinule |
Burung Pangling Ungu 'purple swamphen (bird)' (28) Burung Pangling 'swamphen (bird)' (24, 25, 26) |
Ayam Air 'water fowl/chicken' (old) Burung Pang(u)lin 'swamphen (bird)' (old) |
Burung Mandar Besar 'large swamphen (bird)' Burung Mandar Besar 'large swamphen (bird)' (29) |
นกอีโก้ง nók ii-kôoŋ 'swamphen (bird)' |
Chim Xít 'xít bird' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
紫水鸡 (紫水雞) 'purple water-fowl/chicken' Taiwan: (紫水鸡) 紫水雞 'purple water-fowl/chicken' |
セイケイ (青鶏) seikei 'blue fowl/chicken' (Chinese-style compound) |
| Gallinula | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Malaysian | Other M |
Indonesian |
Thai |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Japanese |
| Gallinula chloropus |
Common moorhen Moorhen Common gallinule |
Burung Pangling Kecil 'small swamphen (bird)' (28) Burung Tiong Air 'water myna (bird)' (24, 25, 26, alt in 28) |
Burung Mandar Batu 'rock swamphen (bird)' Burung Mandar Batu 'rock swamphen (bird)' (29) Burung Cemperlali 'swamphen (bird)' (29) |
นกอีล้ำ nók ii-lám 'moorhen (bird)' |
Chim Kịch 'kịch bird' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34) |
黑水鸡 (黑水雞) 'black water-fowl/chicken' or 红骨顶 (紅骨頂) 'red bone top' (alt in 1, 3, 5) Taiwan: (红冠水鸡) 紅冠水雞 'red-crested water-fowl/chicken' |
バン (鷭) ban 'moorhen' |
|
| Fulica | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Malaysian | Other M |
Indonesian |
Thai |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Japanese |
| Fulica atra |
Common coot Eurasian coot Black coot Coot |
Burung Pangling Hitam 'black swamphen (bird)' (24, 25, 26, 28) |
Burung Mandar Hitam 'black swamphen (bird)' Burung Mandar Hitam 'black swamphen (bird)' (29) |
นกคู้ต nók kʰúut 'coot (bird)' |
Chim Sâm cầm 'sâm cầm bird' (cầm = 'bird') (12, 13, 34) |
白骨顶 (白骨頂) 'white bone top' or 骨顶鸡 (骨頂雞) 'bone top fowl' (alt in 1, 3) Taiwan: (白冠鸡) 白冠雞 'white-crested fowl' |
オオバン (大鷭) ō ban 'large moorhen' |
|
นกคู้ต nók kʰúut 'coot' is a pre-ornithological Thai name. It is convergent on the English name, but it was independently created from the call and is not borrowed from English.
To write the word クイナ kuina, Japanese simply takes over one of the equivalent Chinese names, 秧雞 'seedling fowl/chicken' or 水雞 'water fowl/chicken'. This practice of reading Chinese compound-words (multi-character words) with single Japanese readings is known as 熟字訓 jukuji-kun.
This onomatopoeic bird name is based on the similarity of the birds' call to the Chinese word 苦恶 kǔ'è 'bitter evil'.
中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全（修订版） 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000
中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005
中国鸟类野外手册（中文版）约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯，合作者：荷芬奇，翻译：卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000
世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002
世界鸟类名称（拉丁文、汉文、英文对照）第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002
Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999
Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000
Senarai Nama-nama Burung Semenanjung Malaysia dan Asia Tenggara by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Perhilitan (Jabatam Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara, Semenanjung Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur 1981
List of the Names of Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Southeast Asia by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 1981
The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 1 - Non-passerines by Wells, David R., Academic Press, London 1999
A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore by Jeyarajasingam, Allen and Alan Pearson, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999
A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore (second edition) by Jeyarajasingham, Allen, Illustrations by Alan Pearson, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2012
A Field Guide to the Birds of Java and Bali (second edition) by MacKinnon, John, Gadjah Mada University Press, Yogyakarta 1990
Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009
Floating Menu by Milonic |
Tool tips by Walter Zorn |
