Makira Moorhen Gallinula silvestris Scientific name definitions

Makira (San Cristobal), in SE Solomon Is; no recent records.

No information: diet of possibly extinct P. pacificus, of similar habitat, was apparently almost entirely animal matter.

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. Restricted-range species: endemic to the island of Makira (San Cristobal) and present in Solomon Group EBA. Known only from the holotype, collected in Dec 1929 in the central mountains of Makira. Even then apparently rare. The only subsequent observations are of one seen by an expedition member in 1953, when it was reported apparently to be not uncommon in rocky valleys below Wuranakumau, on Naghasi ridge (1 Cain, A. J., and I. C. J. Galbraith (1956). Field notes on birds of the eastern Solomon Islands. Ibis 98(1):100–134; 98(2):262–295. Close ), and a report by local people of its presence in 1974. Since then, despite several weeks of surveys between 1990 and 2006 (2 Danielsen, F., Filardi, C.E., Jønsson, K.A., Kohaia, V., Krabbe, N., Kristensen, J.B., Moyle, R.G., Pikacha, P., Poulsen, M.K., Sørensen, M.K., Tatahu, C., Waihuru, J. and Fjeldså, J. (2010). Endemic avifaunal biodiversity and tropical forest loss in Makira, a mountainous Pacific island. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography. 31(1): 100-114. Close ) BirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Pareudiastes silvestris. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 12/01/2015. , there have only been unconfirmed reports; local people have claimed to be familiar with the species, albeit through rare encounters BirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Pareudiastes silvestris. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 12/01/2015. . Its population is now judged to be fewer than 50 individuals BirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Pareudiastes silvestris. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 12/01/2015. . The reasons for its decline are not clear (2 Danielsen, F., Filardi, C.E., Jønsson, K.A., Kohaia, V., Krabbe, N., Kristensen, J.B., Moyle, R.G., Pikacha, P., Poulsen, M.K., Sørensen, M.K., Tatahu, C., Waihuru, J. and Fjeldså, J. (2010). Endemic avifaunal biodiversity and tropical forest loss in Makira, a mountainous Pacific island. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography. 31(1): 100-114. Close ): introduced mammals may be significant predators and loss of forest habitat may also be a factor BirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Pareudiastes silvestris. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 12/01/2015. . If current commercial forestry programmes are continued, forest habitat may be disturbed or lost over large parts of Makira (2 Danielsen, F., Filardi, C.E., Jønsson, K.A., Kohaia, V., Krabbe, N., Kristensen, J.B., Moyle, R.G., Pikacha, P., Poulsen, M.K., Sørensen, M.K., Tatahu, C., Waihuru, J. and Fjeldså, J. (2010). Endemic avifaunal biodiversity and tropical forest loss in Makira, a mountainous Pacific island. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography. 31(1): 100-114. Close ). Introduced fire ants Wasmannia auropunctata, first noted in the Solomons in 1972, are known to attack the eyes of domestic animals (3 Wetterer, J.K. and Porter, S.D. (2003). The little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata: distribution, impact, and control. Sociobiology. 42(1): 1-42. Close ) and are likely to have had an impact on this ground-dwelling species (2 Danielsen, F., Filardi, C.E., Jønsson, K.A., Kohaia, V., Krabbe, N., Kristensen, J.B., Moyle, R.G., Pikacha, P., Poulsen, M.K., Sørensen, M.K., Tatahu, C., Waihuru, J. and Fjeldså, J. (2010). Endemic avifaunal biodiversity and tropical forest loss in Makira, a mountainous Pacific island. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography. 31(1): 100-114. Close ). At least five studies have recommended the establishment of protected areas on Makira, yet there is still no protected area on the island (2 Danielsen, F., Filardi, C.E., Jønsson, K.A., Kohaia, V., Krabbe, N., Kristensen, J.B., Moyle, R.G., Pikacha, P., Poulsen, M.K., Sørensen, M.K., Tatahu, C., Waihuru, J. and Fjeldså, J. (2010). Endemic avifaunal biodiversity and tropical forest loss in Makira, a mountainous Pacific island. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography. 31(1): 100-114. Close ).