The Samoan woodhen (''Gallinula pacifica''), also known as Samoan wood rail, is a nearly flightless rail endemic to the
Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...
n island of
Savai'i that has been considered
Critically Endangered, and possibly
extinct. As it has evolved adaptations for a more terrestrial lifestyle and at least partly nocturnal habits, it is probably better placed in a distinct genus, ''Pareudiastes'' (which sometimes includes the more distinct
Makira wood rail too
[), but this issue has not yet been thoroughly researched. It was known as ''puna'e'' ("one that jumps up") to the native ]Samoans
Samoans or Samoan people ( sm, tagata Sāmoa) are the indigenous Polynesian people of the Samoan Islands, an archipelago in Polynesia, who speak the Samoan language. The group's home islands are politically and geographically divided between t ...
; this was said to relate to the bird's habit of making a jumping dash into cover when startled from its resting place.
Description
This small gallinule had a length of about 25 cm. The plumage was darkish blue on head, neck and breast contrasted with an entirely black rump and tail. The upperparts were dark olivaceous with a greenish sheen. The bill and the frontal shield
A frontal shield, also known as a facial shield or frontal plate, is a feature of the anatomy of several bird species. Located just above the upper mandible, and protruding along the forehead, it is composed of two main parts: a hard, proteinaceo ...
were yellowish to orange red. The eyes and the legs were red.
Ecology
Due to its probably nocturnal habits it had large eyes. Its habitat were primary montane forests Its diet consists of insects and other small invertebrates which were preyed by digging the ground and leaf litter; captive birds became sickly when fed a vegetable diet. The eggs said to belong to this species were found in a nest on the ground which was made from twigs and grass. Natives claimed, however, that the ''puna'e'' nested in burrows; it is not clear if they confused the rail with petrels or shearwaters (which make similar grunting calls – see below – and nest in burrows) or whether they meant simply scraped-out hollows in the ground.
Extinction
It was first seen by John Stanislaw Kubary in 1869 and last collected in 1873 during the British Challenger expedition
The ''Challenger'' expedition of 1872–1876 was a scientific program that made many discoveries to lay the foundation of oceanography. The expedition was named after the naval vessel that undertook the trip, .
The expedition, initiated by Wi ...
. In all there are ten or eleven remaining specimens and one or two eggs in museums (e.g. in Leiden, New York, Liverpool and London).
It apparently became extinct in the 1870s due to predation by introduced species such as rats and feral cats. Additionally, it was noted to taste good and seems to have been hunted for food. Reed (1980) reported the testimony of a local who claimed the bird to be extinct since 1907.[ However, there were unconfirmed sightings in upland rainforest in 1984 (August 22 and 23]
See also
*Central Savai'i Rainforest
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
References
External links
BirdLife International: Possible sighting of long lost rail
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20111005034520/http://ip30.eti.uva.nl/naturalis/detail?lang=uk&id=17 3D viewof specimens RMNH 110.046 and RMNH 110.060 at Naturalis, Leiden (requires QuickTime browser plugin).
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1065072
Gallinula
Birds of Samoa
Critically endangered fauna of Oceania
Birds described in 1871
Taxa named by Otto Finsch
Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN