Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species may have survived until as late as 1937, but undoubtedly became Extinct soon after. It likely disappeared as a result of over-hunting and predation by invasive rats and cats.
Population justification
No extant population remains.
Porphyrio paepae was known from Hiva Oa and Tahuata on the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia). It may have survived as late as 1937, but must have become extinct soon afterwards (Steadman 1988, Hume and Walters 2012).
This species was a small gallinule which probably had reduced flying capabilities (Hume and Walters 2012).
Little is known, but it was presumably driven to extinction by hunting pressure and predation by invasive species.
Text account compilers
Vine, J.
Contributors
Symes, A. & Taylor, J.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Marquesan Swamphen Porphyrio paepae. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/marquesan-swamphen-porphyrio-paepae on 25/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 25/11/2024.