Justification This species is listed as Endangered because it has a single, very small population within a very small range on just one island, and both its range and population are undergoing a continuing decline as a result of introduced predators and loss of forest to logging, infrastructure development, agriculture and construction of golf courses.

Family/Sub-family Rallidae

Species name author (Yamashina & Mano, 1981)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Synonyms Rallus okinawae Collar and Andrew (1988)

Identification 30cm. Medium-sized, nearly flightless, short-tailed rail with long, strong legs. Dark olive-brown upperparts. Black sides of head and underparts, barred with white from lower neck to undertail-coverts. White loral spot and line from rear base of eye down side of neck. Red bill and legs. Juvenile has paler upperparts with mottled white underparts. Voice Highly vocal. Calls include a loud kyo, a kwi kwi kwi ki-kwee ki-kwee, often answered by a ki-ki-ki and a kyip kyip kyip given by a pair. Other calls include a rising pig-like squeal and a deep bubbling gu-gu-gugugugu and gyu-gyu-gyagyagya.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

720

decreasing

600 km²

Yes

Range & population Gallirallus okinawae is endemic to Okinawa Island, Japan, where it is confined to Kunigami-gun (=Yambaru) in the northern quarter of the island, north of Shioya and Higashi-son. Surveys from 1996 to 2004 found that numbers declined dramatically from c.1,800 individuals in 1986 to an estimated 717 individuals with its range contracting northwards by 40% since 1985-1986¹. Surveys in 2006 did not detect any further contraction in range size, suggesting that measures to control introduced Javan Mongoose Herpestes javanicus have had some success³.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It occurs in a variety of habitats, including primary and secondary, evergreen and broadleaf subtropical forest, often with a dense undergrowth of ferns, near to streams, pools or reservoirs and cultivated areas close to forest. It is almost, but not completely, flightless and feeds on the forest floor, and occasionally in shallow water, where it takes invertebrates and lizards. Nests are made on the ground during the breeding season, from May-July. The usual clutch-size is two to three eggs.

Threats Logging, dam construction and associated road-building, agricultural development and golf course construction are causing forest loss and fragmentation. Recent research¹ indicates that its range on the island has contracted to the north (resulting in a 25% decrease in extent of occurrence). The research strongly implies that introduced Javan mongoose Herpestes javanicus are the cause of this contraction, though feral dogs, cats and introduced Jungle Crows Covus macrorhynchos are also possible predators³. Road kill was the cause of mortality in 70% of the 22 recorded deaths during a five year study from 1998 to 2003². Mortality was worst during the breeding season, suggesting that road kill lowers recruitment to the adult population and may be causing localised declines.

Conservation measures underway It is legally protected in Japan. Yonaha-dake and parts of Mt Ibu and Mt Nishime are designated as protected areas. Conservation organisations have been promoting the protection of Okinawa's forests since 1970 and have bought some sites on Mt Yonaha to establish private wildlife reserves. In 1996, Yambaru was designated as a national park. The species was the focus of several surveys conducted between 1996 and 2006. Some areas of fencing and a trapping regime have been employed to reduce predation on the species by introduced mammals¹. Traffic calming measures have been taken in some areas to reduce the number of road kills. Japan's Ministry of Environment plans to undertake a captive breeding programme for the species aiming to obtain a captive population of 200 individuals.

Conservation measures proposed Establish monitoring and research programmes. Provide full protection for the whole area of Yambaru. Continue and expand reaserch and actions to control introduced predators. Instigate a conservation education programme for Okinawa using this species and Okinawa Woodpecker Sapheopipo noguchii as flagships. Develop measures further to reduce road kills. Continue fencing areas to reduce predation.

References BirdLife International (2001). 1. Ozaki et al. (2006). 2. Kotaka and Sawashi (2004). 3. K. Ozaki in litt. (2006)

Further web sources of information

Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) species/site profile. This species has been identified as an AZE trigger due to its IUCN Red List status and limited range.

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Simba Chan (Wild Bird Society of Japan), Nic Peet (BirdLife International), John Pilgrim (BirdLife International)

Contributors Kiyoaki Ozaki (Bird Migration Research Center), Hiraoka Takashi

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Mike Crosby (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Gallirallus okinawae. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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