Lord Howe Island Woodhen Gallirallus sylvestris

Lord Howe Island Woodhen Gallirallus sylvestris

In the 1970s the Lord Howe Island Woodhen was considered one of the most endangered birds in the world with only 20 birds left in the wild.

Today the species recovery is one of the Foundation’s proudest success stories.

The decline of Lord Howe’s endemic woodhen began with the arrival of the first settlers on the island and the introduction of goats, pigs, rats and cats. These species forced the birds to the misty summit of Mt Gower and a few other inaccessible pockets.

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife funded a search for surviving birds. A further 13 Lord Howe Island Woodhens were found, bringing the then known population to 33 and raised hopes for a captive breeding program.

In May 1980 the program went ahead with $150,000 of Foundation funds spent to construct the compound and to employ scientists involved in this project. Three woodhen pairs settled into the enclosure and started breeding soon after. The first egg was laid in June 1980.

Today there are about 250 birds on the island, which is believed to be the optimum population size. Goats and pigs have been eradicated from the island, making the island a safer place for the woodhen.

The Foundation has recently funded a cost-benefit analysis for a rat eradication program to tackle this last, however serious threat to the woodhen and many other threatened endemic species on the island.

Draft Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Plan 2009 - Click here to view

Eradicating the Rodents Fact Sheet - Click here to view