• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species is classified as Near Threatened because although it may not be as severely affected by deforestation as some species in the region, owing to its more catholic habitat preferences, it is subject to trapping and is still thought to be declining moderately rapidly.

Population justification
G. Dutson (in litt. 2002) estimated that fewer than 10,000 individuals survive, so it is placed in the band 2,500-9,999 individuals here. This equates to 1,667-6,666 mature individuals, rounded here to 1,500-7,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification
Buchanan et al. (2008) calculated the rate of forest loss within the species's range on New Britain as 11.2% over ten years.

Hypotaenidia insignis is a flightless (or almost flightless) forest rail endemic to the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea. It is generally uncommon, although it is rather secretive and poorly known (Gilliard and LeCroy 1967, Bishop 1983, Coates 1985, G. Dutson pers. obs. 1997, Taylor and van Perlo 1998, Bishop and Jones 2001).

It occurs in lowland and montane forest to 1,250 m, especially along rivers and in mid-montane altitudes, it is less common in tall secondary forest.

On New Britain, lowland forest clearance for conversion to oil palm plantations has been intense in recent decades and the island accounts for approximately half of Papua New Guinea's timber exports (Bishop 1983). On that island nearly 15% of habitat suitable for this species has been cleared in the last 15 years and this trend is ongoing (Bishop 1983). It is also sometimes trapped with snares or caught by hunting dogs (G. Dutson pers. obs. 1997).

Conservation Actions Underway
None is known.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Identify and effectively protect a network of reserves, including some containing large areas of unlogged lowland forest and some large community based conservation areas. Continue to monitor trends in forest loss. Research its tolerance of degraded forest. Research the extent and affect of hunting on populations. Monitor populations in a number of primary forest and degraded forest sites on the island.

Text account compilers
Benstead, P., Derhé, M., Dutson, G., Mahood, S., O'Brien, A. & Pilgrim, J.

Contributors
Dutson, G.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: New Britain Rail Hypotaenidia insignis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/new-britain-rail-hypotaenidia-insignis on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.