Samoan Moorhen Gallinula pacifica Scientific name definitions

Similar to Makira Moorhen (Pareudiastes silvestris) but differing in: smaller size; bill shorter and lighter; gonys lacking longitudinal grooves (there are two in silvestris); frontal shield much smaller, reaching only the middle of the eye; bare area beneath the eye less extensive; bristly loreal feathers longer; bluish tinge of breast less pronounced; dorsum uniform dark brown (1 Olson, S.L. (1975). The South Pacific gallinules of the genus Pareudiastes. Wilson Bulletin. 87(1): 1-5. Close ).

Samoa (Savai’i). No definite records since 1873; possibly extinct (2 Pratt, H. D., and J. C. Mittermeier (2016). Notes on the natural history, taxonomy, and conservation of the endemic avifauna of the Samoan archipelago. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 128(2):217–241. Close ).

Diet apparently consists almost entirety of animal matter (1 Olson, S.L. (1975). The South Pacific gallinules of the genus Pareudiastes. Wilson Bulletin. 87(1): 1-5. Close ).

A possible nest reported in 1874 was on the ground, composed of ‘a few twigs and a little grass’, and contained two eggs. No other information (1 Olson, S.L. (1975). The South Pacific gallinules of the genus Pareudiastes. Wilson Bulletin. 87(1): 1-5. Close ).

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. Restricted-range species: endemic to the island of Savai'i and present in Samoan Islands EBA. Known from three skins and an egg. Last recorded in 1873 (3 Ripley, S. D. (1977). Rails of the World. Godine, Boston, MA, USA. Close ). There have been claims by local people that the bird has been extinct since 1907 (4 Reed, S.M. (1980). The birds of Savai’i, Western Samoa. Notornis. 27(2): 151-159. Close ) and it was considered so until 1994 BirdLife International (2016) Species factsheet: Pareudiastes pacificus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 05/07/2016. . Hopes of its survival were raised by two possible sightings in upland forest west of Mt Elietoga in Aug 1984 (5 Bellingham, M. and Davis, A. (1998). Forest bird communities in western Samoa. Notornis. 35: 117-128. Close ), and another of two birds on Mount Sili Sili in Oct 2003 BirdLife International (2016) Species factsheet: Pareudiastes pacificus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 05/07/2016. . Nevertheless, a 17-day targeted search in Jun–Aug 2005 proved fruitless, as did a two-day visit in Nov of the same year (2 Pratt, H. D., and J. C. Mittermeier (2016). Notes on the natural history, taxonomy, and conservation of the endemic avifauna of the Samoan archipelago. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 128(2):217–241. Close ); likewise, 2012 surveys failed to find the species (6 Butler, D. (2012). Report on the birds of Upland Savai’i. Pp. 85-109 in:. Close ). All researchers acknowledged the persistence of forest that is yet to be surveyed, but concurred that the Puna'e is likely to be extinct (6 Butler, D. (2012). Report on the birds of Upland Savai’i. Pp. 85-109 in:. Close , 2 Pratt, H. D., and J. C. Mittermeier (2016). Notes on the natural history, taxonomy, and conservation of the endemic avifauna of the Samoan archipelago. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 128(2):217–241. Close ). At any rate, any remaining population must be tiny and is now judged to be fewer than 50 individuals within a known range of 1 km² BirdLife International (2016) Species factsheet: Pareudiastes pacificus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 05/07/2016. . Introduced mammals (rats, pigs, cats and dogs), along with hunting for food, are thought to have caused its demise (5 Bellingham, M. and Davis, A. (1998). Forest bird communities in western Samoa. Notornis. 35: 117-128. Close ) BirdLife International (2016) Species factsheet: Pareudiastes pacificus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 05/07/2016. . Slash-and-burn cultivation threatens remaining upland forest (7 Bellingham, M. and Davis, A. (1988). Forest bird communities in Western Samoa. Notornis 35(3): 117–128. Close ) BirdLife International (2016) Species factsheet: Pareudiastes pacificus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 05/07/2016. . A new road had been illegally bulldozed into the cloud forest above A’opo by 2012, giving access to alien weeds and feral cats (6 Butler, D. (2012). Report on the birds of Upland Savai’i. Pp. 85-109 in:. Close ).