Cabalus modestus (Chatham Rail)

[another specialist]

A review of the extinct rails of the New Zealand region (Aves: Rallidae) (National Museum of New Zealand records)

by Storrs L Olson (Author)

[another specialist]

1984 Print Lansdowne




This is an original 1984 color print of three rails: the Chatham Island Rail (top), an extinct rail once found in the Chatham Islands east of New Zealand; the Auckland Island Slatebreasted Rail (middle), thought to be extinct, but rediscovered in 1966 on Adams Island; and the New Guinea Slatebreasted Rail (bottom), found in the central highlands of New Guinea.

original on sale on ebay

[another specialist]

Chatham Rail - Cabalus modestus
extinct-website.com/extinct-website/product_info.php?products_id=415

[Peter]

The extinction date (last reports) of this species is very confusing , with different authors claiming different dates:
Fuller 2000: c. 1900.
Worthy & Holdaway 2002: c. 1900.
Tyrberg 2009: 1893.
Hume & Walters 2012: 1895-1900.
BirdLife International 2012/IUCN 2013: 1893-1895.

And Tyrberg (2009) and Hume & walters (2012) both claim to have Greenway (1967) to have been used as source. I've just bought Greenway (1958), the first edition of his book, see what he says in his book about this species' extinction date (although the 1967-version is the second revised edition of Greenway's book).

References:

• BirdLife International (2012). Cabalus modestus. In: IUCN (2013). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 September 2013.
• Fuller, E. (2000). Extinct birds. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
• Greenway, James C. (1958). Extinct and Vanishing Birds of the World. American Committee for International Wild Life Protection Special Publication, 13: x + 518 pages, 86 figures, 1 appendix.
• Greenway J.C. (1967). Extinct and Vanishing Birds of the World. American Committee for International Wild Life Protection, Special Publication no 13, 2nd edn. Dover Publications, New York.
• Hume J.P. & Walters M. (2012). Extinct birds. London: T & AD Poyser, 544 pp.
• Tyrberg, T. (2009). Holocene avian extinctions. In: Turvey, S.T. (editor) (2009). Holocene extinctions. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
• Worthy, T.H., Holdaway, R.N. (2002). The lost world of the Moa: Prehistoric Life of New Zealand. Indiana University Press, Bloomington. ISBN 0-253-34034-9.

[Peter]

Greenway (1958) writes: "Extinct. Last specimen, now in the British Museum (Natural History), collected between 1895 and 1900."

So I guess Hume & Walters (2012) are right. Tyrberg (2009) cites the year 1893; most likely from an report/account by Hawkins in Forbes (1893) quoted in Greenway (1958): Forbes, H.O. (1893). Birds of Chatham Islands. Ibis, pp. 521-545.

[surroundx]

"—. Rallus modestus, sp. n. Hutton.

Matirakahu of the Morioris. Of this bird, which I only found on Mangare, I obtained two specimens, one a full grown female, and the other young one. It is not known on any of the other islands, and although I was on Mangare for twelve days these were the only specimens I saw. The birds in question were found in a very rocky place, and when disturbed sought to hide themselves amongst the stones. I had no opportunity of studying its habits, and having unfortunately failed in obtaining the male parent bird, I am unable to say whether its plumage is different from that of the female. It appears to be a nocturnal bird, as those I obtained came out of the rocks at dusk, evidently to feed. Both the parent birds had escaped in the first instance, but the female was attracted by the plaintive cry of the young one which I had caught. I caught sight of the male bird also, but it was too dark to pursue it amongst the scrub." (p. 218-219)

Source:

Travers, H. H. and Travers, W. T. L. (1872). On the birds of the Chatham Islands, with introductory remarks on the avifauna and flora of the islands in their relation to those of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 5: 212-222.

[surroundx]

Jouanin, Christian. (1962). Inventaire des oiseaux éteints ou en voie d’extinction conservés au Muséum de Paris. Terre et Vie 109: 275-301.