Red Rail

Aphanapteryx bonasia · Extinct species of flightless rail which was endemic to Mauritius
Order
Gruiformes
Codes
redrai1, RERA

About the Red Rail

The red rail is an extinct species of rail that was endemic to the Mascarene island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. It had a close relative on Rodrigues island, the likewise extinct Rodrigues rail, with which it is sometimes considered congeneric, but their relationship with other rails is unclear. Rails often evolve flightlessness when adapting to isolated islands, free of mammalian predators, and that was also the case for this species. The red rail was a little larger than a chicken and had reddish, hairlike plumage, with dark legs and a long, curved beak. The wings were small, and its legs were slender for a bird of its size. It was similar to the Rodrigues rail, but was larger, and had proportionally shorter wings. It has been compared to a kiwi or a limpkin in appearance and behaviour.

Source: Wikipedia

Taxonomy & Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderGruiformes
FamilyRails, Gallinules, and Coots (Rallidae)
SpeciesAphanapteryx bonasia
Species Codesredrai1, RERA

Frequently Asked Questions

What family does the Red Rail belong to?

The Red Rail (Aphanapteryx bonasia) belongs to the Rails, Gallinules, and Coots family (Rallidae), in the order Gruiformes.

How can I identify the Red Rail?

The red rail is an extinct species of rail that was endemic to the Mascarene island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. It had a close relative on Rodrigues island, the likewise extinct Rodrigues rail, with which it is sometimes considered congeneric, but their relationship with ot...

Where can I report a Red Rail sighting?

You can log sightings of Red Rail on eBird (ebird.org) using species code redrai1, or on iNaturalist.