The Kosrae crake or Kusaie Island crake, sometimes also stated as Kittlitz's rail, is an extinct bird from the family Rallidae. It occurred on the island of Kosrae and perhaps on Ponape in the south-western Pacific which belong both to the Caroline Islands. Its preferred habitat were coastal swamps and marshland covered with taro plants.
Region
Micronesia, Caroline Islands
Typical Environment
Historically restricted to coastal wetlands, swamps, and taro (Colocasia) fields on Kosrae, with unconfirmed reports from nearby Pohnpei. It favored dense, waterlogged vegetation where it could move under cover and forage in shallow mud. Mangrove edges, sedge marshes, and cultivated taro patches provided both food and concealment. The species was tied to low-lying, humid environments near the coast.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 100 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as Kittlitz's rail, the Kosrae crake was a small, secretive rail endemic to the island of Kosrae in the Caroline Islands and possibly Pohnpei. It inhabited coastal swamps and taro patches and was likely reluctant to fly, preferring to run through dense vegetation. It went extinct in the 19th century, probably due to habitat alteration and invasive predators such as rats and cats introduced by visiting ships.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
reluctant flier; short rapid wingbeats over very short distances, usually runs through cover
Social Behavior
Likely occurred singly or in pairs, staying hidden in dense wetland vegetation. Nests were probably placed on or near the ground under thick cover, woven from grasses or sedges. Breeding biology is poorly documented, but behavior likely resembled other small island rails with concealed nests and cryptic habits.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations were probably a series of soft clucks, squeaks, and grunts given from cover, especially at dusk or night. Calls would have been short and repetitive, carrying across quiet swamps.
Plumage
Overall sooty-brown to blackish, with a soft, matte texture and subtle paler barring or mottling on the flanks and undertail coverts. Wings short and rounded; tail very short. Underparts darker and more uniform than upperparts.
Diet
Foraged for small invertebrates such as insects, spiders, snails, and small crabs in shallow water and mud. Likely took seeds, tender shoots, and plant matter from taro patches and marsh vegetation. It would pick prey from the surface and probe soft substrates along the water’s edge.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along muddy margins of swamps, in taro fields, and under dense sedges and mangroves. Uses ground cover to move unseen while gleaning and probing at the waterline.
