The Lord Howe woodhen (Hypotaenidia sylvestris) also known as the Lord Howe Island woodhen, Lord Howe wood rail, Lord Howe rail or Lord Howe Island rail, is a flightless bird of the rail family, Rallidae. It is endemic to Lord Howe Island off the Australian coast. It is currently classified as endangered by the IUCN. The species was formerly placed in the genus Gallirallus.

Description

The Lord Howe woodhen is a medium-sized olive-brown rail, with a short tail, downcurved bill, red iris, and chestnut wings. The species has historically moved between classification in genera Gallirallus and Hypotaenidia, but both the IOC and IUCN both currently place the species in Hypotaenidia.

Ecology

The species lives in sub-tropical forests, feeding on earthworms, crustaceans, fruit, and occasionally taking the eggs of shearwaters and petrels.

Woodhens mate for life and are usually encountered in pairs. They are territorial and will appear from the forest's understory to investigate the source of any unusual noise. A mated pair will defend an area of approximately three hectares, with offspring being expelled from this area once grown.

When the population was first surveyed in the early 1970s, only a dozen breeding pairs remained, restricted to the inaccessible peaks of the island's two mountains, Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird. A study in 1997 estimated the island's carrying capacity at 220 woodhens.

The Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project (REP) intended to eradicate the introduced ship rat and house mouse, and in the winter of 2019, after nearly two decades of research and planning, the A$10.5 million project culminated in the distribution of poison bait. Due to the risk of their ingesting poison, the entire wild woodhen populationalong with the endangered Lord Howe currawongwas taken into captivity for the duration of the baiting program.

Although never intended as the primary beneficiaries of the REP, since its completion the woodhen population has grown exponentially. From the 208 birds released in 2019, the population grew to 598 in November 2021 and 778 in March 2022. As of the most recent survey in December 2024, the woodhen population numbers at least 1,638 birds.

References

  • Image of an egg of a Lord Howe woodhen (Australian Museum website)