Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species was endemic to the island of Rodrigues, Mauritius, but is now Extinct as a result of hunting and predation from cats. It was last recorded in 1726, and was first reported as extinct in 1761.
Population justification
The species is known to be Extinct.
Trend justification
The species was first reported from 1691-93 (Leguat 1708), and another account of the species was given in 1726 (Hume 2017). By 1761, the species was stated to be extinct (Pingré 1763). Reports suggest the species was continually hunted, but the introduction of cats was likely the main cause of their rapid extinction (Hume 2017).
Erythromachus leguati was restricted to Rodrigues, Mauritius (Cheke 1987). It is known from a number of bones (Cowles 1987), and from several travellers' reports, the last of which was that of Tafforet in 1726.
Virtually nothing is known about the species. It may have inhabited the islands' forests.
Historical accounts suggest the species was heavily hunted for consumption due to its ease of capture (Hume 2017). However, the species' apparent rapid decline from 1726 to 1761 suggest that introduced cats were the primary cause of its extinction (Hume 2017).
Text account compilers
Martin, R., Mahood, S., Brooks, T., Khwaja, N., Richardson, L.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rodrigues Rail Erythromachus leguati. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rodrigues-rail-erythromachus-leguati on 18/12/2024.
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 18/12/2024.