Identification
A short-tailed, mostly flightless rail, known locally as the Ko’ko’, with reddish chestnut upperparts and white-barred black underparts. Gray on the chest and throat with a pale gray eyebrow. Once widespread across most habitats, it became extinct in the wild in the 1980s, but has been reintroduced in carefully managed areas thanks to a captive breeding program. Similar to Buff-banded Rail, but lacks chestnut on the face and breast, and has a more extensive area of black with white barring below. Upperside is also much plainer reddish. Most commonly heard giving short “kip” notes, but also loud screeches during breeding season.