Lord Howe Woodhen (Gallirallus sylvestris): habitat and range

Fun facts

It eats worms, crustaceans and fruit, and occasionally other prey: it is one of the rails with the most varied diet.
It is one of more than thirty rail species that have lost the ability to fly after colonising oceanic islands, an evolutionary pattern repeated throughout the family.
Its recovery from a tiny population is one of the most frequently cited cases of island management in Australia.

Life cycle and biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat and environment: Subtropical forest of Lord Howe Island, off the Australian coast, where it is endemic
Sexual maturity: 9 months
Litter / clutch size: 1-4 eggs; a female may lay again thirty days after the previous clutch

Sources consulted: IUCN Red List; Wikipedia (Lord Howe woodhen); Birds of the World (Cornell); HANZAB; NSW Government; Sclater 1870

Where to find it

Best time: All year round in the subtropical forests of Lord Howe Island

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The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.

Where to see it

Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.

Related species

Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Lord Howe Woodhen — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.

Same taxonomic family

Shares a park

Same taxonomic family

How to help

The lord howe woodhen is classified as endangered. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.

It's documented in 1 protected area — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.

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Lord Howe Woodhen