About the Chatham Islands Rail
The Chatham Islands rail, also known as the Chatham rail, is an extinct flightless species of bird in the family Rallidae. It was endemic to Chatham, Mangere and Pitt Islands, in the Chatham archipelago of New Zealand. The Chatham Islands rail was first discovered on Mangere in 1871, and 26 specimens collected there are known from museum collections. Its Māori name was "mātirakahu".
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Gruiformes |
| Family | Rails, Gallinules, and Coots (Rallidae) |
| Species | Gallirallus modestus |
| Species Codes | chirai1, CIRA, CHRA |
| Conservation | extinct |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the Chatham Islands Rail belong to?
The Chatham Islands Rail (Gallirallus modestus) belongs to the Rails, Gallinules, and Coots family (Rallidae), in the order Gruiformes.
How can I identify the Chatham Islands Rail?
The Chatham Islands rail, also known as the Chatham rail, is an extinct flightless species of bird in the family Rallidae. It was endemic to Chatham, Mangere and Pitt Islands, in the Chatham archipelago of New Zealand. The Chatham Islands rail was first discovered on Mangere in 1871, and 26 specimen...
Where can I report a Chatham Islands Rail sighting?
You can log sightings of Chatham Islands Rail on eBird (ebird.org) using species code chirai1, or on iNaturalist.
Related Species in Rails, Gallinules, and Coots 156 species
More Birds in Order Gruiformes
Quick Stats
Spotted a Chatham Islands Rail?
Log your sighting on eBird or upload a photo to our AI Bird Identifier!