Lord Howe Woodhen (Hypotaenidia sylvestris)

Other Names (World)
Lord Howe Woodhen, Lord Howe Rail, Lord Howe Island Rail, Lord Howe Island Woodhen, Woodhen

Family
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, Coots)

Size
32 - 42 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Sclater, 1869)

Derivation
Gal-li-rall'-us - L., feminine form from gallus, a game bird; N.L., rallus, rail: syl-ves'-tris - L., silvestris, of the woods

Abundance (Guide)
R

Rare. Captive breeding and release has led to a slow increase in the population.

Habitat
Rainforest with dry leaf litter, rarely in forests.

Range (Guide)

Australia (B) (NB).

Lord Howe Island (Australia).

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is 130 (2010) and stable.

Status EN
Predation by introduced Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) is the main threat.

Critically endangered.

See also EPBC Act List of Threatened Fauna.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Singly, in pairs or family groups.

Food
Mainly worms, insect larvae and crustaceans. Occasionally petrel nestlings.

Voice
Loud pierceing notes in territorial call. Low, grunting notes in contact.

(20Kb) © ? (2)

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (1)...)

Lord Howe Woodhen (Hypotaenidia sylvestris) [XC324198]
by Eddy Smith from Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia (call)

Lord Howe Woodhen (Hypotaenidia sylvestris) [XC506761]
by id from LHI21--Little Island--forest at south end, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia (alarm call)

Breeding Season (Guide)
August - January.

Nest
A shallow depression in the ground, under thick vegetation or in a petrel burrow, lined with grass and leaves.

Eggs (Guide)
4; white, blotched and finely spotted grey and chestnut. Incubation: 20 - 23 days; by both sexes.

Young
Precocial, nidifugous. Brooded and fed by both parents and often by young of previous brood.

Subspecies
Sometimes placed in Tricholimnas or Rallus. Includes Gilbert Rail (Gallirallus conditicius), known from one specimen and sometimes thought to be specifically distinct, but now generally regarded as an immature of present species.

No subspecies.

References
See References.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9

Files:

JPG files for Lord Howe Woodhen (Hypotaenidia sylvestris) - 10 files

MP3 files for Lord Howe Woodhen (Hypotaenidia sylvestris) - 2 files

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BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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