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Lord Howe Woodhen (Hypotaenidia sylvestris)

The Lord Howe woodhen is a flightless rail found only on Lord Howe Island, NSW. It uses a range of forest habitats, including lowland palm forests and mountain-top mist forests.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Endangered.

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Endangered.

Seasonal planning

On Lord Howe Island, females generally lay from August to January and pairs may continue raising young until April.

Seasonal evidence: From published sources for this species.

Timing varies between sites and years.

  • Breeding and chick-rearing season: On Lord Howe Island, females generally lay from August to January and pairs may continue raising young until April.

Identification: Appearance

This brown, flightless bird is about the size of a bantam hen, with strong legs and feet and a brown-grey bill.

This brown, flightless bird is about the size of a bantam hen, with strong legs and feet and a brown-grey bill.

Identification: Confirming identity

Confirm the identity of any suspected record with a specialist and a photograph or voucher, as required by the relevant permit.

Distribution: Known range

The species occurs only on Lord Howe Island. Populations are found across the main island except in the northern hills.

The species occurs only on Lord Howe Island. Populations are found across the main island except in the northern hills.

Distribution: National mapping

The Commonwealth species distribution model (SNES) maps where the species or its habitat is known, likely or may occur. Use it with local records and site inspection.

Habitat: Habitat

It occurs in mountain and lowland rainforest, palm and Pandanus forest, and mountain-top mist forest. Kentia palm forest on basaltic soils is particularly important, and birds also use gardens around houses in the Settlement Area.

It occurs in mountain and lowland rainforest, palm and Pandanus forest, and mountain-top mist forest. Kentia palm forest on basaltic soils is particularly important, and birds also use gardens around houses in the Settlement Area.

Foraging habitat: Diet

The Lord Howe woodhen feeds on earthworms, crustaceans and fruit, and occasionally takes the eggs of shearwaters and petrels.

The Lord Howe woodhen feeds on earthworms, crustaceans and fruit, and occasionally takes the eggs of shearwaters and petrels.

Breeding habitat: Breeding

The species is monogamous and is often seen in pairs. It is territorial.

The species is monogamous and is often seen in pairs. It is territorial.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Threats: Threats

Pigs have been identified as a limiting factor for the species’ distribution.

Pigs have been identified as a limiting factor for the species’ distribution.

Threats: Works risk

Clearing or construction in mountain and lowland forests, palm or Pandanus forest, or Kentia palm forest could remove or alter habitat used by the woodhen.

Survey methodology: 1. Commonwealth guidance

Use methods consistent with the Commonwealth survey guidelines and engage a specialist with the right permits.

For EPBC Act referrals, survey effort and methods should be consistent with the survey guidelines for Australia's threatened birds, read with the Significant impact guidelines 1.1.

Survey methodology: 2. Limits

A non-detection is not proof of absence. Match survey timing to the species and season, and record effort.

Vegetation associations: Rainforest or vine thicket

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

It occurs in mountain and lowland rainforest, palm and Pandanus forest, and mountain-top mist forest.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: NSW.

Habitat use: general

Ecosystem associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific ecosystem association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Soil and substrate associations: Basalt-derived soils

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

Kentia palm forest on basaltic soils is particularly important, and birds also use gardens around houses in the Settlement Area.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: NSW.

Habitat use: general

Water and wetland associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific water association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Fauna records and mapped habitat: Not yet analysed

Record locations can be overlaid with mapping, but record frequency alone does not measure habitat preference. No species is excluded from desktop assessments by this analysis.

No quality-controlled record-to-map analysis has been completed for this species. The existing generalised distribution dots and indicative range polygons have not been treated as precise occurrence coordinates.

A defensible run needs dated, independently attributable records, coordinate uncertainty, duplicate and captive-record checks, layer versions and regional scope. Preference and absence require additional survey-effort and detection evidence.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: No supported exclusion recorded

Not recorded is not the same as cannot occur. Low suitability, resident habitat, breeding habitat and occasional movement are different conclusions.

This library has not established a vegetation, ecosystem or soil-type exclusion for this species. This does not mean all habitat is suitable; the evidence needed to justify an exclusion has not been assembled.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: Before using a negative association

  • Confirm the taxon, geographic region, life stage and habitat function covered by the evidence.
  • Check survey methods, season, repeated effort and detectability before interpreting non-detection.
  • Investigate credible contradictory records and microhabitats absent from broad mapping.
  • Do not convert a missing map class, low record count or failed data request into species absence.

Before disturbance: 1. Desktop and approvals

Confirm whether the project could affect the species before works begin.

Check national mapping, state records and recent surveys for the site. An action likely to have a significant impact on this nationally listed species needs EPBC Act referral, and state permits apply where it is state listed.

Before disturbance: 2. Plan to avoid

Design the footprint, timing and access to avoid known or likely habitat, and brief crews on what to look for and who to call.

During disturbance: 1. Controls

Keep works inside the approved footprint and conditions.

Fence or mark habitat to be retained and keep machinery, stockpiles and spoil out of it.

During disturbance: 2. Stop and report

If the species is found unexpectedly, stop work at that spot and contact the project ecologist and the relevant agency.

After disturbance: 1. Records

Record outcomes.

Record sightings, habitat lost or retained and any injury or death, and report them under the approval conditions.

Rehabilitation: 1. Restore

Restore disturbed habitat where possible.

Reinstate disturbed ground with local species, return logs, rocks and litter, and control weeds and erosion until the site is stable.

Sources