The New Caledonian rail is a large and drab flightless rail endemic to the island of New Caledonia in the Pacific. It is Critically Endangered, may have gone extinct many decades ago already, and if it still exists it is one of the least-known living bird species.
Region
Southwest Pacific (Melanesia)
Typical Environment
Historically recorded from dense lowland and foothill forests on Grande Terre, New Caledonia. It likely favored thick understory with tangles of vines, ferns, and pandanus, where it could run and hide. The species was probably tied to moist forest floors with abundant leaf litter, forest edges, and riparian thickets. It likely avoided open habitats and human-disturbed areas.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The New Caledonian rail is a large, drab, flightless rail endemic to Grande Terre in New Caledonia. It is Critically Endangered and may already be extinct, with only a handful of historical records and no confirmed recent sightings. If still extant, it almost certainly persists at very low numbers in remote, dense forest where it is extremely secretive. Introduced predators such as cats, dogs, and pigs, along with habitat alteration, are considered the main threats.
Chromolithograph from 1873
Simplified cladogram demonstrating relationships among tribe Rallini. Genus Rallus and its closest relatives correspond to the red clade, while Hypotaenidia would be the blue clade. The New Caledonian rail is probably part of the paraphyletic evolutionary grade marked green.
Temperament
secretive and wary
Flight Pattern
flightless; prefers running through cover
Social Behavior
Likely solitary or in pairs, maintaining territories in dense forest. Nests probably placed on the ground, concealed in thick vegetation. As with many rails, breeding may coincide with wetter periods when invertebrate prey is abundant.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are poorly documented; if similar to related rails, calls would include low grunts, clucks, and squeals given from cover. Occasional duets or contact calls between mates are possible, especially at dawn or dusk.
Plumage
Overall dark brown to olive-brown with a dull, uniform appearance; faint barring or mottling may show on the flanks and back. Underparts tend to be slightly greyer, with a dense, smooth feather texture suited to pushing through vegetation.
Diet
An opportunistic omnivore that likely takes insects, worms, snails, and other invertebrates from the leaf litter. It may also consume fallen fruits, seeds, and small vertebrates such as lizards when available. Foraging is primarily by probing and gleaning on the forest floor.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense understory, along forest edges, and near streamside thickets where cover is abundant. Uses leaf litter and rotting logs to locate hidden prey and to remain concealed from predators.
